Twisted
by Lady Zutara
Summary: AU. In a world where fate is all too cruel, where mothers and children are taken and gained all in the same day; can Katara and Zuko ever discover who they truly are in an alternate universe where their roles are reversed?
1. Take the Boy

**_Chapter One: Take the Boy_**

* * *

"Take the boy." The cloaked man commanded, his cruel golden eyes penetrating even through the darkness.

"He'll never fetch a good price a market. He's barely alive," the trader replied.

"You will take my son!" The man roared, as he shoved the sack containing the boy towards the trader.

"Why would you want to sell your own son?"

"That should not concern you. But if you take him far from this place, I will make it well worth your while." He replied, as he patted the purse filled with gold pieces.

A sick smile began to form on the trader's face. "I'll do anything for the right price. How far away do you desire him to go?"

"I don't care; just take him away from the Fire Nation. He may **never** return here."

"If I may ask, why not kill him? I would be happy to…"

"NO. He must live, that is the one thing I promised his mother."

"Alright. This burn, how do I explain this to the buyers? What will I say when he wakes?"

"Figure it out. He's not my responsibility anymore." At that, he tossed the gold-filled pouch towards the trader and began to walk out of the alley, never looking back.

The trader threw the sack over his shoulders and walked in the opposite direction towards his ship. He patted the sack "Let's hope you make it through the night."

On the day Zuko was burned within an inch of his life and sold into slavery, he had just turned five.

* * *

**Kya**

* * *

"Mama, why are sea prunes so squishy?"

I smiled. "I don't know honey, why don't you ask them?"

"Because they can't talk mama duhh"

"Katara, where did you learn that word?"

'What word?"

"Duh"

"Sokka always says it, he told me-"

"RUN!" the man yelled, as he burst through the door leading into our home.

"Why? What's going on?" I screamed.

"Fire Nation! They're here!" He yelled, as he scrambled back towards the door.

"Mama, I'm scared." Katara sobbed.

The look of terror in her eyes only made me fear all the more. I scooped her up in my arms and ran out as fast as I could. The first thing I noticed was the black snow that littered the ground. The air was filled with smoke. People were running everywhere, carrying children, pulling along the elderly.

Sokka and Hakoada! Where were they?! Panic began to flood my heart and I could barely breathe. The caves! They had to be there, Hakoda told me we would always be safe there. I ran past herds of crying children and screaming mothers, trying to find my husband, trying to find my son.

I was halfway to the caves when I finally turned back to glimpse what had happened to my home. All I saw were Fire Nation soldiers carrying every sort of weapon I could think of heading full speed towards us.

Katara was screaming. All of a sudden they were everywhere, surrounding me and my baby girl.

Tears welled in my eyes as I begged them "Please, leave this place. We have nothing you could ever want."

One stepped up and replied. "Oh, yes you do. We know about you and your child. We know that she is the last waterbender."

No. How could they know? Hakoda and I had taken every precaution. Why were the fates so cruel?

"Please," I pleaded. "She's only four years old. Take me instead."

The same man replied, "We plan on taking you both. You will never produce another waterbending child again and I will personally make sure that your daughter never learns of her homeland or…of your existence."

A sadistic smile crawled across the man s face as he ordered his men to rip my little girl from my arms.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I yelled as they dragged me away.

The last thing I remember is my little Katara screaming "Mama!" before I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head and I blacked out.

* * *

I awoke in a dark jail cell with an ear splitting headache. I was dehydrated and my stomach was growling. I looked around to see I was alone with nothing but a burlap blanket and some straw for comfort. How long had I been in this place?

I felt like I was missing something when all of my memories came upon me at once. Where was Katara? Why wasn't she with me? Why couldn't I save her?

I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Where is my daughter?" I pounded against the bars with all my might. I did this until my voice went hoarse and my hands bled. I received no response.

I leaned against the wall and sobbed. Did I even have a daughter anymore? Did I have a son? Did I have a husband? Did I have a tribe? Did they burn everything that ever meant anything to me to the ground?

I cried for what felt like hours until I heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming towards my cell. The door to my cell was opened. I looked up to see a fire nation man carrying a small child whose face I couldn't make out in the darkness.

My baby! Could it be her? I jumped up running towards the figure only to gasp in horror when I saw the child the man carried was not mine and that this child had been badly injured. He was fire nation, I could tell that, but a burn covered half of the left side of his face. That poor boy…but where was my daughter?

"Where is my child!" I shouted at the man. "Have you done to her what you have done to him?" If they would do this to their own kind, I could only imagine what they would do to my daughter.

"Water wench! You will not address me in such a manner. You will refer to me as Captain Zhao from now on! I charge you to care for this boy and his injuries or you will NEVER see the light of day again! If he dies, so will you!"

I could only stare at him. How could I care for a child in these conditions? How could I care for a child of whose people split my family apart?

"Don't just stand there. Take the boy!" he commanded.

At this, I scooped the child into my arms as I had done my daughter a short time ago. Captain Zhao walked out of my cell leaving me alone with a boy on the verge of death. I laid him down and piled all the straw I could together, forming a sort of pillow under his head. I was laying the blanket over his body when another person entered the room, this one carrying a large sack and a jug filled with water.

The person turned out to be a female with jet black hair and kind brown eyes.

"My name is Sora and I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. I have some food, water, and blankets for you and the boy. I, also, brought you some medical supplies to tend to him. Hopefully, with your help, he will wake soon."

"Thank you, but can you please tell me what happened to this boy and why I have been chosen to tend to him?"

"No one knows. Our captain brought him aboard yesterday evening. No one knew how badly he was injured until we removed the gauze covering his face. He hasn't woken in his entire time with us and we don't have enough men aboard the ship to spare one for his care."

"I understand, but how did I come to be here?"

Sora sighed, "We picked you up from another ship on its way to the fire nation this morning. You are to be sold at an auction in a Fire Nation colony tomorrow."

"What of my daughter? Is she to be sold too?"

"I know nothing of your daughter. You are the first slave I've interacted with on this ship, but if I see her I'll tell you."

Tears formed in my eyes at this woman's kindness. "Thank you, but why have you been so nice to me?"

"Because I don't believe you deserve this and neither does he," she said as she patted the boy. "I want him to live and you're the only person on this ship whom I believe can save him."

"Sora, your words give me strength."

She smiled and exited my cell, locking it behind her.

I turned my attention back to the boy. I began to tend to his injury, cleansing it and applying ointment. I fed him a little of the rations Sora brought and got him to drink a some water. He remained unresponsive, but his shallow breathing remained stable.

I was wondering how anyone could do this to a child and why they would, when he began to thrash and cry out. I gathered him into my arms and did the only thing I could think of doing, I sang.

_Hush now, my baby, be still now, don't cry  
Sleep as you're rocked by the stream  
Sleep and remember my sweet lullaby  
For I'll be with you when you dream_

Slowly he stopped his thrashing and opened his eye not covered in gauze. "Mommy" he breathed as he looked into my eyes. I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't his mother so I said "Yes baby, now go back to sleep." He obliged, and I sat there for the remainder of the afternoon and evening holding him. If I couldn't live for myself right now, I could live for the boy in my arms.

Gradually, I too, drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of erratic footsteps, only to look up and see Sora haphazardly opening the cell. Still holding the boy I got up "What's going on Sora?"

"You have to go! We're under attack; I think they're here for you!"

Had Hakoda really found me and Katara? Relief spread throughout my body, but as I looked down at this poor boy, I realized I couldn't leave him behind. "Can I take the boy?"

"Sure, as long as you get out of here and quick!"

I followed her down the hallway and up a flight of stairs only to run into the middle of the melee. I scanned the deck seeing both watertribesmen and traders fighting one another. I hadn't noticed Hakoda until I heard someone shouting "Kya!" I'd know his voice anywhere. I turned and ran towards him with the boy in tow.

He stared at the boy in my arms for a moment and eventually said "Kya, you've got to get off this ship. I'll go search for Katara."

I nodded. If anyone could find her, Hakoda could. I got onto my people's boat and was escorted to one of the bedrooms in the lower deck. I placed the boy on the bed and I waited…and waited…for what seemed like hours, until I heard the bell signaling retreat. I heard the thudding of footsteps and felt the boat start to move. I ran upstairs, excited that my family was finally united again. I met Hakoda and threw my arms around him. We stood there for a moment embracing one another until I broke the silence "Where's Katara?" I asked.

His once smiling face turned solemn. "Katara…Katara wasn't…Katara wasn't there Kya."

The meaning of his words sunk in. My only daughter was **dead**. I stood there for a moment in a daze, then I passed out.

* * *

**A/N**: All credit for Kya's lullaby goes to the creators of the movie The Prince of Egypt, which is an awesome movie I would recommend to anyone. I only changed a few words to make it fit the story. I really hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Please leave any questions, suggestions, or comments that you have in a review. I would really like to hear from you all, since my motivation to write kind of depends on it. I'm excited to write the next chapters of this story which will cover a lot of growing up. By the way, OOC(ness) should be expected in this fanfiction since roles are reversed. Please. **REVIEW. REVIEW. REVIEW**.


	2. Into the Void

A huge shout out to the 4 guests, Chaos Evans, CherishRedemption, The Congressman, and Kiku Honda of Japan for reviewing! Also, thanks to everyone who favorited and followed!

* * *

**Chapter Two: Into the Void**

* * *

The great wall of fire blazed wildly across the throne room, emitting a gut wrenching heat that seeped into one's very soul. Behind it sat the seemingly immortal Fire Lord Ozai, his golden eyes scanning about the vast room daring anyone to challenge him. One could say he looked almost like those kings of myth with his flowing red robes and crown of gold. But unlike those kings, his eyes held no compassion, only his insatiable lust for power and unfaltering determination to cut down anyone who stood in his way.

To his left, hovered his grieving queen, her eyes hollowed and her face taut. She wandered the palace like a ghost, the light gone from her eyes. The reason, understood. The whole of the nation mourned the loss of its young Prince Zuko. He had been killed in an accident they say, but there were rumors…rumors that his death was no slip of fate. There was no body to be found, no funeral, no period of mourning, it was almost as if the young heir had never existed. The Fire Lord had simply commanded that all his son's possessions be thrown away and that life continue on as it always had. So, in the throne room the Fire Lord sat with his weeping queen.

"Stop your pathetic weeping Ursa! Show some self-respect!" Ozai shouted.

At this his wife's cries only grew louder, invoking both sadness and pity in all whom heard her. Her sobs reverberated around the room, eventually, morphing into howls, those of a mother whom had lost her child. No, those of a mother of whose child was **taken** from her.

"That's it! I cannot stand to be around such weakness! Leave me!" Ozai barked.

Ursa attempted to gather what dignity she had left and fled from the throne room, slamming the tall metal doors behind her.

* * *

**Ursa**

* * *

As I looked into the mirror, all I saw staring back at me was the face of a failed mother. How could I let him slip away from me so easily? If only I had been there, if only I could have stopped it somehow….if only…. My thoughts trailed off. If only what? What could have been done no longer mattered. My only son was gone. _That _was all that mattered, and I'd been completely helpless to prevent it.

I pounded my fist against the image of myself in disgust, shattering the mirror. Shards of glass scattered about the dresser. I hesitantly picked up one of the sharpest ones I could find. My mind began to wonder and suddenly I found myself wrapped in the thoughts of ending it all now. With just one slash to the wrist, all of my pain and suffering could be ended. No more sleepless nights, no more weeping. Only silence. Death was softly, ever-so-sweetly calling my name, drawing me closer, and each day the call became louder, and each day I became more obliged to accept.

I edged the jagged shard closer to my wrist until it was pressed flesh against my skin. I breathed in deeply, what I hoped would be my last. I dragged the glass against my skin, in what I thought would be the wound that would end my life. Immediately, blood began to drip from my arm staining the mahogany wood of my dresser.

Drip.

Drop.

I slashed at my skin again. This time, blood began to gush forth from the fatal wound that I had inflicted upon myself. I began feeling light headed and my legs started to weaken beneath me. One moment I was standing up, the next I was lying on the ground watching the blood flow from my arm like a river.

I smiled. I would see Zuko again soon. I would be out of Ozai's clutches. I would be free.

Darkness began to overtake my sight and I slipped into what I hoped was heaven.

"_Zuko!" I shrieked as I ran towards my son who was sitting at the edge of the pond contentedly feeding the turtleducks. When he saw me he burst into a fit of laughter. I was beaming, maybe everything would be alright after all. When I reached the pond, I threw my arms around him ready for that long anticipated embrace. But the moment my body came into contact with his, he dissipated into thin air. I waved my hands back and forth frantically, trying to make him reappear to no avail. I was alone. Again. How many times would he leave me?_

_The two turtleducks began swimming towards me, growing larger and larger with each second. The feathers of their wings fell to the ground, leaving shriveled humanoid arms in their place. They twisted their bodies in unnatural positions, until they stood before me at full height. They shed the feathers from their faces and I immediately recognized those haggardly old women. Li and Lo! Those wretched witches that ruined my life! They began walking slowly around me, encircling me, trapping me._

_Their shrill voices filled the air as they chanted the foul prophecy that took my son. I was reliving that day all over again, all the pain I had felt, that I still feel, was multiplied tenfold. Their words like daggers entered my ears._

_In 13 years precisely,_

_The stars will align ever so nicely._

_The time to act will be at hand,_

_Unleash the Sunai your monstrous band._

_Then, the once free world will fall,_

_And you, Ozai, will rule all._

_But a word of caution to this tale,_

_If Zuko fights you will fail._

_I sunk to the ground with my face in my knees as they continued to circle me, their harsh cackling echoing in my ears over and over again._

_Why did Ozai have to listen? Why did Ozai have to kill him? I begged over and over again to let him live. He promised me…HE PROMISED ME! But what is a promise to a man like Ozai?! He took the only thing away from me that ever mattered. He had his concubines and his precious power. But what did I have? Nothing. I would give anything to have my son again, to feel loved._

_But these women! They caused all of this! They ruined my family! They killed my son!_

_I rose from the ground, attempting to shove one of their wrinkled bodies out of the way, but I only grasped air. Their bodies dissipated just as my son's had only a few moments before._

_I looked at my hands and noticed that my own body was beginning to fade. A startling, bright light overcame my vison, and I saw no more._

"Fire Lady Ursa?" I attempted to open my eyes, but they were so heavy and I was so tired.

"Fire Lady Ursa?" The voice called again. I opened my eyes to see the aged face of the palace physician.

"Thank goodness! Call the Fire Lord! She has awoken!" Before I could say anything he dashed out of the room yelling for someone to fetch Ozai. I looked down to see my injured wrist wrapped in gauze. So, I hadn't succeeded. Was it all just some horrible nightmare?

I began to observe my surroundings. I was in the infirmary I noticed, but how long had I been there?  
My thoughts were interrupted when the last person I wanted to see walked in. Ozai. For a brief moment, it looked as if his eyes held some amount of concern for me before they went back to their usual unnerving coldness.

"My dear Ursa, oh how far you've fallen. Attempting to kill yourself now I see. How pitiful. You know, you were nearly dead when they found you…you've been here for almost a week, but you won't escape me that easily." he sneered.

Though my voice was strained I replied. "That is a shame, but I assume my absence gave you ample time to enjoy all the services the harem had to offer. How is little Azula's mother by the way?"

He scoffed. "You're in no position to be snide with me Ursa, and just when I had decided to be kind to you. In fact, I have a gift for you"

"A gift? Ozai, I've never known you to be so…generous."

"Let's just say I'm in a giving mood. Your new servant will arrive in a few moments. I hope it will be to your liking."

I sighed, I had enough servants and did not desire anymore, but I was in no condition to argue with Ozai. It would only end badly…for me. Through gritted teeth I replied "Thank you Ozai."

A smug grin formed on his face as he began to walk out of the room. "The pleasure is all mine."

Just when I thought he'd finally leave me be, he stopped in his tracks "Oh and Ursa, I did keep my promise." At that, he exited leaving me with my thoughts. Did he really expect me to believe anything he said anymore? I know he killed Zuko. I would no longer be fooled by his well spun lies. I had learned that Ozai always lies long ago.

And that gift? Ozai never gave anything to anyone, unless he wanted something in return. What was he planning? There was a reason for everything with him and they were always bad. Maybe the new servant would be assigned to poison me or stab me through the heart. Sadness overwhelmed me, why didn't they just let me die? Death by my own hand would be far less painful than anything Ozai had planned for me.

I quietly sobbed into my pillow. Promising myself that the next time, no one would be able to save me.

I was shocked out of my misery when I heard the voice of small child speak to me.

"Why are you crying ma'am?" they said.

I looked up to see a little girl with cocoa skin and cerulean blue eyes looking at me with as much sympathy as a small child could muster.

"Because I lost someone." I replied.

"My mommy always says when you lose something try looking for what you have. So, maybe you should look at what you have?" At this, she gave me a big toothy grin. I assume she was feeling very pleased with herself.

I smiled. "Ok. And where is this wise mommy of yours?"

Her smile faded and tears began to fall down her face. "I don't know. I miss her." She ran over to me and flung her arms around me crying quietly into my shoulder.

Was this the gift Ozai spoke of? Why was a little water tribe girl in the fire nation? What was he planning?

I whispered into her short brown hair "Shh now, maybe we could both look for something we have?"

She ceased her sobbing and looked at me with those adorable blue eyes.

She giggled. "Well, now I have you."

A soft smile formed on my face as I thought about that. "Yes, I believe you do."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! That was a ridiculously long break; my work load has been absurd. But I should be posting more frequently now that the worst part of the academic year is over.

This chapter was a little hard for me to write, because of the general darkness. I've never actually felt that way, but I hope I did a decent job. I don't encourage or condone suicide in any way. So if any of you readers do feel this way, please talk to someone. In fact, message me! I'm open to talking with anyone!

How do you all feel about Ursa, Ozai, and Li and Lo?

**As usual, please leave any questions, comments, or concerns in the reviews.**

**VIRTUAL BONUS POINTS** to anyone who guesses the Shakespearean play I referenced or the Disney movie I based the prophecy off of! Leave answers or guesses in the reviews!

Oh, and most questions about what happened to Katara immediately after she was taken, how Zuko ended up being sold, etc. should be answered in future chapters. But don't be afraid to voice your questions!

'Till next time guys!


	3. The Koja

Thanks to everyone that reviewed, favorited, and followed!

* * *

**Chapter Three: The Koja**

* * *

"Hakoada, I have to do this!" Kya shouted. "I can't just stand by and let him die!"

"I'm not saying we do that! You need rest…we need rest. I can't let you go trudging out into the tundra on a whim, to search for something that may not exist!" Hakoada retorted.

"Look at him! Just look!" She commanded, as she gestured towards the injured boy on the other side of the cabin. He looked so small next to the crackling fire, his body almost swallowed by the pelts he was wrapped inside of. He had not awoken since his time with Kya on that godforsaken slave ship.

His fate was as evident as the scar that marred his face. He would die. It was only a matter of time, unless something drastic was done. Hakoada quickly averted his gaze from the boy to stare guiltily at the floor.

"Our daughter was ripped from my arms. And I-" her voice began to crack. "I couldn't save her. But I can save him. I know I can." At this point, tears were flowing freely down her face. "Just please, please give me the chance to do what I couldn't do for Katara." she pleaded.

Hakoada sighed. "Doing this won't bring Katara back. But-"

"I know. I know, but I cannot turn my back on a child who needs me."

"You didn't let me finish...If you're doing this, I'm going with you. If this…this Koja is real, it's most likely dangerous. And I cannot let you face it alone."

"Thank you!" she cried as she wrapped her arms around her husband.

Hakoada laughed, a rich deep laugh, the first one he had uttered in weeks. They had sailed across the sea for 14 moons searching for any boat that could possibly hold Katara; only to discover that, if she still lived, whatever vessel that held her landed long ago.

Hakoada returned home burdened with the duty of explaining to his son that he no longer had a sister; and explaining to his mother that she no longer had a granddaughter. But the most difficult task of all was not recovering from the loss of his daughter, but explaining to the tribe why his wife cared for one of their enemy's children. He didn't know the answer himself, but if it soothed her grieving heart he would allow her to continue.

However, tensions were running high. The boy wasn't getting any better, and the tribe wanted answers. In fact the injured child had become so feverish as of late, that they had been forced to send Sokka to Kanna's cabin for fear of Sokka falling ill as well.

Just when Hakoada had begun to give up all hope for the boy's recovery, Kya had confronted him with an impossible solution. She wanted to find the mythical polar lion known as the Koja and ask it to heal the boy. Never mind the fact that the Koja had not been seen for hundreds of years or that those myths had been vague at best. One thing was certain, if this Koja was real, they could be provoking a very dangerous spirit. Its fangs were said to be sharper than daggers and its claws were said to match those of the dragons.

The being would only heal Zuko if it found him worthy; and if it didn't…Hakoada only hoped that wouldn't happen. There was no telling what would happen to the boy or any living thing near him, if this misfortune befell him.

As all these thoughts invaded his mind, Hakoada's laughing quieted and his face took a more solemn expression.

He sighed. "We should ask my mother to keep Sokka another night, since we're leaving at first light."

The smile Kya had been wearing since Hakoada had agreed to her request fell from her face. "Yes" she replied. "We probably should."

* * *

_I'm so sorry Hakoada_, Kya thought to herself as she rode across the thick artic ice. She had never meant to leave him behind, but what he mentioned about Sokka earlier had struck a chord in her.

She knew she could save the boy. In fact, she felt that it was her very destiny to, but if something went wrong she had never thought of what that meant for her son. He couldn't lose his sister, mother, and father; she would not allow that. Taking care of the boy was her choice; and only she should have to suffer the consequences. So just before midnight, she struck out on her own in a sleigh, with the dying boy in tow.

According to legend, the Koja lived in a cavern at the end of the great colored lights, lights that only appeared for one month out of the year. Not to mention, the cave was rumored only to be visible at night, but she hadn't told Hakoada that. This fact alone, deterred most people from trying to find the ancient being, since many feared what may lurk in the darkness, beyond the safety of their fire-lit homes.

It was said that in the beginning the Koja protected the tribe from all whom wished them harm, both human and animal alike. He was even said to heal those with fatal injuries or sicknesses. In exchange, the tribesmen offered him their company. He would sit among them and watch their interactions, with both bemusement and wonder. The spirit loved the humans in all their innocence; and they in return loved him.

This relationship continued for thousands of years and the water tribe prospered; until one day an arrogant man decided he would slay the Koja to win leadership of the tribe. Of course, the man was no match for the ancient being and was easily killed. But the Koja was so enraged by the human's betrayal that he vowed never to offer his protection to the tribe again. He retreated to a hidden cavern and declared he would only heal those whom he deemed worthy. So far, no one had ever returned from a journey to find the Koja, Kya only hoped she wouldn't be another.

She was drawn from her thoughts as she simultaneously heard the distinct howl of hyena wolves behind her and noticed she was nearing the end of the lights.

"MUSH!" she cried out, at her own tired wolf dogs.

She was racing against time.

She was racing against death.

She was racing against the unknown.

* * *

She ran towards the mouth of the cave, struggling to keep the boy from falling out of her arms.

"HELP! Please!" she called out, as the hyena wolves drew closer and closer. Her own wolf dogs began to growl at the intruders, but they would be no match against the pack rabid animals.

"Please!" she cried out again. She fell to her knees, as she realized she was alone and that there was no "Koja" there to save her. What a fool she had been, she thought to herself. She should have listened to Hakoada, she should have left well enough alone. But as she looked down at the boy in her arms all her regret washed away. She only wished she could have saved him. She sent out a silent apology to her son and her husband and prayed her death would be quick.

A deep rumbling bellow, almost like thunder, erupted from the dark cavern in front of her. The very ground began to shake as the sound reverberated across the freezing plains. The hyena wolves whimpered as they fled back to whence they came; and her own wolf dogs sought to hide themselves by burying their faces in the snow.

She was blown backwards by the winds that came after. The injured boy was thrown from her arms a few feet away and she tried desperately to get to her feet to retrieve him, but she could not move. The sheer force of the winds held her to the ground as snow began to fall rapidly from the sky and she could see nothing but white, feel nothing but cold. Until, she couldn't breathe, until she couldn't think to breathe. Her mind was as clouded as the blizzard that raged around her.

Then, it all just stopped.

She could think again, she could breath again, she could see again.

And she opened her eyes to the most frightening, yet beautiful thing she had ever seen. A polar lion, with fur as white as snow loomed over her, his eyes bearing into her very soul. Snowflakes fell from the heavens becoming a part of his mane, becoming a part of his being. They clung to him, like they were finally returning home.

Her life flashed before her like a dream. She felt the joy of birthing Sokka to the gut wrenching pain of losing Katara to the calming remedy of finding the nameless boy. She watched as the Koja's eyes transformed from the deep blue of the raging sea to the bright cerulean of the ocean after a storm.

She could only observe wordlessly as he strode away from her towards the unconscious boy she had been trying so desperately to save; and peered into his soul too. The Koja saw the fire that burned in his veins and the pain that befell him because of it. He saw that his injury was one undeserved for one so young, for one so innocent. At that moment, for the first time in hundreds of years, the Koja decided to save a human, simply because he felt that human did not deserve to die.

The Koja began to shake his frosty mane and took in a deep breath. He leaned towards the boy and blew, blew the life-giving ice that existed within him into the essence of the boy. He watched as the scar began to fade from his face, and as a streak of his once jet-black hair was stained white. The Koja saw that he had done his job well, but it had cost him dearly.

He turned towards the silent woman and uttered four words before sending her into a dreamless sleep.

"He is the last."

This is the only thing she would remember from that fateful encounter. She would never again be able to recall the Koja's face.

* * *

"Kya, it's time to wake up." Hakoada prodded. "It's daybreak."

Kya blearily opened her eyes, before the events of last night came upon her.

"The boy!" she exclaimed as she jumped from her bed. "He's healed!"

"What do you mean he's healed? We haven't left yet."

"You may not have left but I did! I don't know how I got back, but I know I left with him!"

Hakoada shook his head. "I'm sure you were only dreaming. You were with me all night, and the boy is probably right next to the fire where we left him."

"No! I went to the Koja and I saw him heal the boy!"

"Oh really? How did this "Koja" look? Is he as fearsome as the legends say?" he questioned almost sarcastically.

Kya strained her mind to remember. She could recall every detail of that night, but she just couldn't remember his face. When she tried all she saw was white.

"I know I wasn't dreaming. It was real." She said, barely above a whisper.

A moment of silence passed between the two before Kya ran from the room.

It only took her a few moments to reach the room where the boy slept

Kya held in a gasp when she saw the now-scar less boy in front of the fire hugging his knees. He turned to face her and she could clearly see the small patch of white hair protruding from his head.

A smile appeared on his face. "I remember you. You were the lady who helped me when I was sick."

She moved towards the fire and squatted down next to him. "Yes, I was."

His smile faded. "Can I ask you a question?"

Kya nodded in agreement.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the Southern Water Tribe." She replied.

"Oh, I don't know what that is." He stated sadly

"Well, that's ok. Can you tell me where you're from or where your parents are?"

"I…I" he squeezed his eyes shut. "I can't remember anything. All I can see is white."

So, Kya thought to herself, this was the Koja's doing. Had the spirit thought the boy's past to be so scaring, that he had to heal it too?

She smiled sadly. "Do you know if you can remember your name?"

He closed his eyes again, but this time began to grin. He jumped from the floor and proceeded to hop up and down.

"I know my name!" he shouted. "I know my name! My name is Zuko!"

He ran towards Kya at full speed to embrace her in a hug.

She smiled down at him. "It's nice to meet you Zuko."

She looked up to see Hakoada gaping at them from across the room. She motioned for him to come join them.

"Zuko, this is my husband." The boy looked up at him curiously. "And you, and I, and him" she continued "have a lot to talk about."

* * *

"Zuko, it's ok to come out. There's someone we want you to meet." Kya spoke reassuringly, but the stubborn boy refused to move from behind her skirts.

"Yeah!" Sokka piped in. "I'll let you play with my new boomerang if you come out!"

At that moment, Zuko decided to stop being stubborn and move from behind Kya's skirts.

"Zuko, meet Sokka. Sokka is our son." Kya stated.

"He looks weird." Sokka stated matter-of-factly. "But I like him!"

At this moment, Sokka walked towards Zuko and tugged on his hand. "Come on! Let's go play outside!" he exclaimed.

Kya, Hakoada, and Kanna watched with amusement as the boys ran through the door.

A few moments later Hakoada turned to his mother, Kanna. "Well, mother what do you think?" he stated.

"I don't know what to think. But he has clearly been touched by a spirit." Kanna replied.

"I know that. But what am I supposed to tell the tribe? I can't afford to have everyone with an illness or injury going off in search for some spirit."

"They won't." Kya piped in. "I may not remember The Koja's face, but I do remember what he told me. I can distinctly recall the words 'He is the last.' I'm not sure what it means, but I don't think The Koja wants to be bothered again."

"Well, that's a start." He contemplated for a moment. "We could always lie and say the boy was visited in the night or some other mystical explanation."

"Hakoada, I'm surprised! I did not raise you to lie about such things! You cannot lie when the spirits are involved!" Kanna chided.

"But we can't afford this mother. We…"

The voices of Kya's arguing mother-in-law and husband faded as she walked to the window towards the source of the laughing she heard.

Sokka and Zuko were on the snow-covered ground giggling their heads off.

"You really can't use a boomerang" Sokka exclaimed between giggles. "I told you, you can't use it like a sword."

"I didn't know it would come back!" Zuko exclaimed, almost forgetting the red welt that was forming on his leg.

After a few more moments, their laughing subsided and Sokka turned to Zuko. "You know, I don't have a sister anymore. And you don't remember your family, so maybe we can be brothers if you want."

Zuko smiled at his new brother. "Yeah! We'll be the best brothers ever!"

Sokka rose to his feet and threw a snowball at Zuko "But I'll be better!" he replied before he ran off.

"Hey!" Zuko shrieked as he ran after him.

_Yes_, Kya thought to herself as she watched from the window, _Zuko would be just fine_.

* * *

**A/N:**** 1,000 points to The Congressman for correctly guessing the Disney movie reference! *sigh* I was really disappointed that no one guessed which Shakespearean play I referenced in chapter two. But the answer was *queue dramatic drum roll* Hamlet. In case anyone cared, but apparently no one did. :'(**

**Moving on. Yes, in my AU Avatar(verse) the southern watertribe citizens do live in cabins (Imagine the 1800s American mid-western cabins). I hate the fact that they live in huts/teepees on the tv show, so I changed it! **

**As always, leave any comments, questions, or concerns in the reviews! ****I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! **

**Till next time! Which might be sooner than you think! ;) **


	4. The Calm Before The Storm

A/N: I would like to give a special shout out to JG76, babyvfan, Commander Ray, Yorushike, TeamZuko, DivergentWeStand, lilsis321, Yungsun, Lovesbugsalot, lawliness, CherishRedemption, The Congressman, and the 2 guests for reviewing! Your reviews mean the world to me. Ya'll are amazAang!

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Calm Before The Storm**

* * *

Ursa could hear the cheerful giggles of Katara playing near the pond all the way from the other side of the garden. She smiled softly, taking this time to close her eyes and take it all in. She loved hearing that sound, as she had once loved hearing her son's laughter.

"Misses!" she heard Katara call, "Come look at what I found!"

"Coming!" Ursa called back with a chuckle. The little girl was always discovering something new, she was so curious and bright.

Ursa walked towards the sound of Katara's voice to see her crouched over the garden pond, appearing to be playing with something. Walking closer, Ursa could now clearly see what the somethings were- _turtleducks!_Images of Li and Lo, and the sounds of their horrid cackles flashed in her mind and soon she found herself shooing them away from Katara.

"Stay away from those-those _things!_" Ursa warned urgently, "They just aren't right!"

"But they look so cute!" Katara responded gingerly, picking one up and thrusting its small, pudgy body towards Ursa. As she stared into its eyes, for a moment it began to lose some of its horror but then…it squawked. Ursa jumped back in surprise, backing into a body. Before turning around, she began apologizing.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea-", stopping in midsentence, Ursa turned to see the haggard Li and Lo with grins plastered upon their wrinkled faces.

"Fire Lady Ursa", they said in unison as they always did. This could possibly have been the thing Ursa disliked most about them; two disturbing older women whom always spoke in unison.

"Yes?" Ursa replied, forcing away the thoughts of their once spoken prophecy.

"The Firelord requests your presence in the throne room." They answered mockingly, as if they'd known exactly what had been on her mind only seconds before.

Ursa turned to give Katara a quick peck on the forehead. "I'll be back before you know it. Don't wander too far."

She leaned in closer so that Li and Lo could not hear her. "And no bending."

The flames of the throne room burned as brightly as ever. Ozai peered through the flames to see his puzzled wife standing before him.

"Hello Ursa" He began. "How are-"

"Why have you called me here?" She interrupted, eager to get back to Katara.

He rose from his throne

"I see you're in no mood for pleasantries…I never held much for them either." He began to circle her, observing her every move.

Her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I'll say it once more _Ozai. _**What do you want**?" She commanded through gritted teeth.

The flames of the throne room burned high as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his harsh, calculating eyes.

"WHAT I WANT" He bellowed. "Is for _my queen_ to address me with the respect of which I am due!"

She could feel his hand growing warmer with each waking moment and she knew she had only two options. She could resist his wishes and suffer whatever punishment he deemed fit; or she could comply and give in to what he wanted. Though it made her nauseous, she chose the latter. She no longer had only herself to look after. She had Katara.

She lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Yes, my lord." She replied.

That arrogant smile returned to his face. "Good."

He began circling her again.

"Now, how is that little watertribe servant doing? From what I've heard, she hasn't been doing much _serving_. I can dispose of her, if that is what you wish."

"No" She replied quickly. "That's not necessary. She has been more of a companion than anything else. She is too young for most of the work I would have her do."

"Oh" He paused. "So, would you say you have formed a _bond_ with her?"

She eyed him warily and chose her next words carefully. "If I have…it is not much stronger than that which I have with any other servant."

"But still…she appears to be very close to you. Has she shown you anything abnormal?"

Ursa gulped. "I don't know what you could possibly mean."

"You are no fool Ursa. You know exactly what I mean."

"If you are inquiring as to whether she is a bender or not; no, I have not seen any signs."

He paused behind her, and she felt his menacing figure leaning towards her.

"You know Ursa" His hot breath tickled her ear. "There are painful ways to find out, many of which result in _death_. You could save the girl a lot of pain by telling the truth. After all, haven't enough children suffered?" He sneered.

Ursa closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She knew she was always a horrible liar, and Ozai had always been so good at reading people. She knew he would kill the girl to find out what he wanted. Ursa didn't think she could handle another child's blood on her conscience.

"Yes, she is. But she won't hurt anyone. She's a good child. She's-"

"That will be all Ursa. You have told me _exactly_ what I wanted to hear."

At that, he turned to address his ever-silent sentries.

"Guards!" He ordered. "Go retrieve the watertribe girl at once. And make ready a carriage!"

Ursa looked towards him pleadingly. "What are you doing? I've told you what you wanted!"

He scoffed. "You haven't told me anything new. You've merely verified something I have already known."

"Then why question me in the first place?"

"To find out something else, of course." He sneered.

Ursa couldn't take it anymore. She lunged at him. Her mind was a fog of kicking, punching, biting, and clawing. All she knew was her desire to hurt Ozai, to make him feel even a fraction of the pain she had felt over the past three months.

"Guards! Restrain her!" He ordered.

She felt herself being jerked away from him, as she saw him rise to his feet.

She expected him to yell, hit, or even worse kill her on the spot. After all, he was an honorless man. She would not put anything beneath him. But instead he laughed, a cruel, mocking laugh.

She looked at his body for some sign that she had really attacked him, for some indication that it had not all been in her mind. But he stood before her without a mark on his body, without a hair out of place.

"When will you learn Ursa? You attempt to play a game you cannot win, against a player you cannot defeat."

"But you gave her to me! You said she was mine!"

"Don't act so surprised. I lied."

She bowed her head in resignation. "Please. Just please don't take her away from me! I don't have anyone else. I'll do anything. I'll give you anything!"

"Oh Ursa" He seethed. "You have nothing to give me that I have not already taken."

She felt the tears begin to roll down her cheeks again. She did not think that she had any left.

She pleaded one last time. "What are you going to do with her? Please don't kill her."

He looked at her condescendingly. "If I were going to kill her, I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to get her in the first place. She is to be sent away for training. I am going to use her to win this war."

Now, it was Ursa's turn to laugh. "You don't honestly think she will ever be loyal to you?"

"She will. Just as you are and everyone else."

"Oh Ozai", she retorted, "I am anything but loyal to you."

"But you are, or shall I say, you will be. People are a lot like puppets _my queen_, easy to manipulate if only you pull the right strings."

She stared at him blankly.

"You will see the thing again." He continued. "But if her progress slows or she demonstrates any disloyalty towards me, I will have her killed. And that is a promise I intend to keep."

He turned his back to her and walked towards his throne.

"You will pay for all the evil you have done Ozai! One day, someone will make you pay!" Ursa shouted at his diminishing figure.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face her.

"When you find that someone foolish enough to make an attempt on my life, tell them to come for me. Tell them I am waiting. Tell them it will be the last thing they ever do."

"Now, take her from my presence!" He commanded.

As Ursa was dragged from the throne room, all she could think of was how desperately she wanted to end Ozai's life and of how she would find a way.

* * *

Katara peered cautiously from behind one of the great stone columns as she watched another little girl attempting to feed turtleducks at the pond. She hadn't seen anyone her age since…she didn't remember.

She wondered when Misses would come back, and why the black haired girl was so bad at feeding them.

"EAT!" The little girl yelled as she threw an entire loaf of bread at them. This only caused them to scatter and retreat further from her.

Katara sighed, everyone here was so mean. Well, except for Misses.

"Eat or I'll burn you all!" The black haired girl shouted at the ducks.

"No!" Katara squealed from behind the pillar, alerting the other girl to her presence.

Her cover blown, she stepped out and sat down next to the other girl.

"That's not how you do it. You have to be nice to them. Like this." Katara tore a small piece of bread off the loaf and held it out gently towards the frightened ducks. The mother turtleduck approached her wearily before accepting the bread and swimming back to her babies.

"Where did you learn that?" The black haired girl asked.

"I don't know. I just know." She replied matter-of-factly.

"Can you show me?"

"Sure!" Katara replied beaming. "We can be friends! My name's Katara. What's yours?"

"I'm Azula. Do you want to go play in my room?"

Before Katara could respond, she noticed a group of soldiers and an elderly woman approaching the pond. The old woman looked a lot like her gran-gran so she got up and ran towards the group at full speed..

"Gran-Gran!" She squealed.

But when she neared, she saw that this woman was not her grandmother. This woman looked mean. And Katara's gran-gran wasn't mean.

She stopped in her tracks, simply staring at the woman with both confusion and disappointment plastered all over her face.

The old lady merely laughed. "Stupid girl. I'm no one's grandmother. But I am to be your new…teacher. You will call me Hama."

* * *

A/N: *crickets* Hey guys! Anyone still there? Sorry it took me so long to update. I have no valid excuse. I really struggled with this chapter for a long time. I honestly had no idea where to start or how to end it. Anyways, I hope it wasn't too horrible. The next chapter will definitely be better.

I know I haven't explained what happened to Iroh or how Ozai came to power, but that's coming.

Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate your support! I hope you tune in next chapter!


	5. Belonging

A/N: Thanks to all you amazing people that followed, favorited, and reviewed!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Belonging**

* * *

Sometimes, Zuko awoke to the smell of singed wool and ash. On those nights, he dreamed of fire burning him, always burning him and awoke covered in sweat with the charred remnants of his bedding beneath him. Each time, he would run to his mother's room in tears and tap lightly on her shoulders. She would awaken, knowing what the feather light tapping meant and calmly walk him back to his room, where she would lie next to him and sing.

_We come from the land of ice and snow,  
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow,  
On we sweep with threshing oar,  
Off to calm the tides of war. _

Eventually, her gentle melodies would lull him back to sleep and erase the face of the evil man who was always trying to hurt him.

The next day, he would always awaken to the feel of fresh pelts beneath him and the sound of Sokka's snoring.

He stretched his limbs and walked over to Sokka's bed, "Sokka. Come on, Sokka. It's time for training." He tugged at the sleeping boy's covers.

Of course, he received no response.

He sighed; it always took more than softly spoken words to wake his brother up.

He grabbed Sokka's shoulders and shook them as hard as he could. But the slumbering boy still wouldn't budge.

"That's it!" he practically shouted, exacerbated with his lethargy.

He walked outside their room towards the kitchen to retrieve the pail of fresh water his parents kept by the fireplace. Making sure not to spill any, he slowly but surely carried it back to their room. With all the strength his ten year old body could muster, he dumped the water onto Sokka's head.

"HEY!" Sokka screamed as he leapt from his pelts.

Zuko bursted into laughter and was on the floor rolling before he knew it. When he was finally able to compose himself, he noticed how angry Sokka actually was. The boy was fuming and his face held the sourest expression Zuko had ever seen.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Sokka yelled.

Zuko rose to his feet to stared his brother square in the eyes. "That, _brother_, was pay back for last week. No one dips my hand in warm water while I'm sleeping and gets away with it! You know that was gross! I know you're used to peeing the bed, but I'm not!"

"That was last week! It doesn't even matter. You told mom and everything! I had to clean your pelts! Do you know how gross that was for ME? You know what, I'm telling mom!"

"MOMMMMM!" he shouted.

Zuko mentally slapped himself, he forgot to factor in the mom related consequences. Soon after, their mother came trudging in with a stern expression on her usually kind looking face.

"What is it Sokka? Shouldn't you boys be at training?" She questioned.

"Zuko poured water all over me mom. Just look at my pelts, they're all soaked!" He whined.

She turned toward Zuko with disappointment written all over her face. "Zuko, you and your brother are getting far too old for this. You're responsible for drying Sokka's pelts and if I feel a single drop of water left on them by bedtime, you are giving him yours. Is that understood?"

Zuko lowered his eyes to the floor. "Yes ma'am."

"Mom, I can't believe this! All he has to do is dry them? That's unfair, it's unjust, its-"

"Another word from you Sokka and you're on firewood duty for the rest of the week."

Sokka released an aggravated sigh and begrudgingly replied. "Yes, ma'am."

After giving the two boys one more disapproving look, she walked off to prepare for her day.

"Come on Sokka, get dressed. We're going to be late." Zuko chided.

The boys quickly threw on their long johns and parkas. Soon after, they dashed out of warmth of their cabin home into the icy, arctic air. They ran through the snow until they reach the huge dome that is the training arena. It stood tall, bigger than all the cabins combined. It was a grueling task to complete, but somehow the warriors had gotten it built, even without waterbenders.

Waterbenders…they seemed like something of myth. There had been none for years, and Zuko had only heard of them. They seemed as mythical as the Avatar gran-gran spoke of.

The boys burst through the tall, wooden doors at full speed only to see class had already begun.

All eyes turned towards them.

"Sokka, Zuko, how nice of you to finally join us." Master Bato stated.

"We offer our sincerest apologies Master Bato, we did not mean to offend you." They replied in unison.

"Alright. But be warned, if this happens again I will be having words with your father."

"Yes sir." They bowed to him and took their places in line.

Master Bato turned his attention back towards the rest of the class. "Today, young warriors, you will be sparring in blind folds. On the battlefield, you must be able to predict your opponent's every move. If you do not perfect this technique, you will die."

"So, to those you less physically inclined" He eyed Sokka amongst others. "I suggest you pay careful attention."

"Now grab a staff and pair up!" He commanded.

Simultaneously, Zuko and Sokka both realized it was going to be a long day.

* * *

Zuko's last match of the day was with a chunky 12 year old named Dahno. He was twice the size of Zuko and had an ego to match. His lips curled downward, forcing his face into a permanent scowl.

"I'm sorry." Zuko apologized, as he disarmed Dahno for the 5th time that day.

"Ugh!" He groaned, as he ripped off his blindfold. "How do you keep doing that?!"

Zuko was about to say something when Master Bato interrupted.

"If you see only with your eyes, pupil Dahno, you are easily fooled. Dwell on that and you will find your answer."

"Yes, Master Bato." Dahno nervously replied before running off to fill his canteen.

Zuko was removing his blindfold when he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder. "I don't want you apologizing for beating your opponent. You should never feel bad for winning."

He gave Zuko a quick pat on the back before addressing the collective group.

"That'll be all for today boys. You are dismissed."

The boys began to shuffle out of the arena when Master Bato's voice rang across the dome again. "Zuko, Sokka, remain here."

Zuko and Sokka made brief eye contact before turning their attention back towards their teacher.

"Boys. As you know, I've been reporting your progress to your father."

"Yes, Master Bato." They nodded in agreement.

He shook his head. "It's ok. You two can stop with all the formalities."

They nodded again. "Ok, Uncle Bato."

"That's better. Now, you both have something to prove in this arena."

He turned towards Sokka. "You are the chief's son. And if you are ever to be chief one day, you have to prove you are strong enough for the job."

He turned towards Zuko. "You are an outsider. And if you are ever to truly become a part of this tribe, you have to prove you belong here."

He sighed and looked them both over. "And so far, Zuko is the only one proving anything. He has quickly mastered every technique I have shown him."

Zuko nodded.

Bato's eyes shifted towards Sokka. "You would be wise to learn a thing or two from your brother. If you don't improve, I will be forced to inform your father. Is that understood?"

Sokka averted his gaze to the floor in shame. "Yes, Uncle Bato."

"Ok, you two may go."

Sokka immediately made a run for the doors with Zuko trailing closely behind.

It was freezing outside. But that didn't seem to be slowing Sokka down.

"Sokka! Wait!" Zuko called.

Sokka whipped his head around to face him.

"No! You don't know what it's like! I'm a failure! I didn't disarm anyone today!"

"I'm sorry. But it's-"

"No! You disarmed everyone you fought Zuko! You're good at everything! Everyone is always comparing me to you…even Mom! And I'm tired of it!"

"I never meant to-"

"No! Just leave me alone Zuko! Leave me alone!" Sokka shouted, as he started running again. This time, Zuko didn't chase after him.

If winning felt like this, Zuko never wanted to win anything ever again.

* * *

Slowly, Zuko trudged down the snowy path that led to his home. It was the first time he'd walked home without Sokka by his side in years.

_Why did winning feel so bad?_

Suddenly, he felt a snowball clock him in the back of the head. Stumbling, he turned around to see Dahno, and all of the other boys he'd beaten standing menacingly in front of him.

"Hey paleface!" Dahno called out "Let's see how good you do against all of us, without your precious uncle to protect you!"

"Yeah!" One of them cried in agreement "You don't belong here anyways and even your mom knows it!"

"You're lying!" Zuko said with a twinge of hurt in his voice "I belong here just as much as any of you!"

"Shut it!" Dahno demanded, pushing him, and causing Zuko to lose his balance.

"What do you want from me?!" Zuko cried.

"Keep showing out in front of Master Bato and you'll find out!" Another boy chimed in.

"You probably cheated anyway! There's no way you could beat me so easily!" Dahno added.

"Or maybe it's because I'm better than you!" Zuko retorted. He'd had quite enough of everyone's insults.

Dahno's facial expression morphed from threatening to embarrassed.

Everyone, including Zuko, fell silent in anticipation.

"Come on Dahno! Teach him a lesson!" the first boy demanded.

"Yeah! Show em' who's boss Dahno!" The others began to chime in.

"No!" Zuko pleaded, as he dodged Dahno's fist which narrowly missed his face. This caused Dahno to topple over, giving Zuko enough time to run.

As he sprinted across the snow, he heard the distant calls of "You're gonna pay for this paleface!"

Zuko paused, taking a moment to catch his breath. He knew it wouldn't take long for them to catch up. Spotting a nearby rock, he quickly fled behind it and hid.

He waited there for a while, he didn't know how long.

But after a few minutes, he heard the yelling die down.

_Why didn't anyone think he belonged here?_

_Why didn't he look like everyone else?_

_Why did he have to be so…different?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.

"Zuko." He peeked from behind the rock to see Sokka, standing over him with a black eye.

"Sokka?" Zuko questioned. "What happened to your eye? How did you find me?"

"I saw what happened back there and I couldn't let those idiots get away with it." He smirked. "Let's just say Dahno won't be messing with you anymore."

"But how? There were like six guys back there?"

Sokka winked and patted the boomerang hanging from his side. "I told you this would come in handy."

Zuko laughed. "Sokka, you're crazy."

"And you aren't?" Sokka smiled.

Zuko's smile fell as he thought about the day's events. "But I thought you were mad at me?"

Sokka squatted down next to him and shook his head. "No, I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at myself…and I was a little jealous. But I was wrong and I'm sorry for the things I said. None of it was true." He paused. "Will you still help me become a better warrior like Uncle Bato said?"

"You're already a great warrior Sokka. But sure."

"Although" he added "I'm not so sure I can anymore. No one thinks I belong here."

"No" Sokka declared. "You belong here just as much as I do."

"But everyone thinks I'm a freak Sokka! My hair, my eyes, my skin! Everything about me is just so different! If only I could-"

"You shouldn't talk like that." Sokka interjected. "It doesn't matter what they think. Me, Mom, and Dad; you're a part of our family. And if we say you belong, then you do."

Zuko looked back at Sokka with tear filled eyes. "Are you sure?"

Sokka merely rose to his feet and offered his brother a hand. "I've never been more sure of anything. Now, let's go home."

* * *

"Mom!" Zuko shouted, as he walked through the front door. "We're home!"

Zuko looked around the fire lit room to find that she was nowhere in sight.

_Odd, she always waited by the fireplace for them to get home from training. _

He looked over to see Sokka was just as confused.

A pot of sea prunes boiled slowly above the fire, so she had to be home.

"Maybe she's in her and dad's room resting?" Sokka proposed. "I'll check there. You check our room."

Zuko nodded and turned toward the opening leading to his and Sokka's room. Pelts, furs, and wooden swords lay scattered all over the floor; but there was no sign of her anywhere.

Zuko reached down to touch the pelts he'd poured water on earlier that day.

Ugh, he mentally groaned. They were still wet. There was no way he was going to be able to dry them in time.

"Zuko! I found her, she's in here!" Sokka's voice echoed throughout the tiny cabin.

Great, Zuko thought, as he moved towards his parent's room. Maybe he could talk to her about letting up on this punishment.

He walked in to see furs strewn all over the floor and his mother lying on top of some poorly lain pelts sleeping.

"And she calls us messy." Sokka exclaimed barely above a whisper.

"Do you think we should wake her up?" Zuko questioned, ignoring Sokka's remark.

"Yeah. It's not even nighttime and she's already asleep."

"Fine." Zuko consented. "But I'm not doing it. I'm in enough trouble as it is."

OK, Sokka mouthed before taking in a deep breath and bellowing "MOMMMMMM!" right into her ear.

Yupp, Sokka was definitely going to be in trouble for that one. But to his amazement, their mother did not stir.

"Wow. She has to be messing with us. That scream would have even woken _me_ up, and that's saying a lot." Sokka began to shake her. "Come on, Mom. I'm hungry and this isn't funny."

Zuko was beginning to grow concerned. He walked over to lay a hand on her forehead. It was cold.

"Sokka, I don't think she's playing. I think she's sick. What do we do?!" He demanded.

"I'm gonna got get the healer. Stay here!" Sokka dashed from the room.

"Be careful!" Zuko called after him. "The sun is setting!"

He turned his attention back towards Kya and laid his hands atop hers. Her pulse was faint, but it was there. "Everything's gonna be ok mom." He cooed.

"Sokka's going to get the healer. You're gonna be ok."

_Please. Please. Please. Please, let her be ok. _

He looked through the window to see the purple and orange colors of sun set dance across the sky before darkness over took them. It was getting late.

_Come on, Sokka. What's taking you so long? _

He reluctantly let go of his mother's hands. "I'll be back soon. I'm just going to find Sokka."

He didn't wait for a response before he ran through the opening of his parents' room, only to see Sokka bursting through the front door with the village healer.

"Zuko, has she said anything?" Sokka questioned as he ran towards the room.

"No. She's-"

"Where is she?" The healer, a small, elderly man demanded.

"Right through here." Zuko indicated as he attempted to follow him inside.

"Stay out here." The old man commanded, as he shut the curtain behind him.

Zuko paced back and forth. He was filled to the brim with both concern and unanswered questions.

_What was wrong with her? Why wouldn't she wake up? _

Sokka was pacing back and forth too. Zuko couldn't help but think he was thinking the same thing.

A few moments later, the healer exited the room, closing the curtain slowly behind him.

"Where's your father?" The healer questioned.

"He's out with the hunting party." Sokka supplied. "But what's-"

"Do you have any other family?" The healer interrupted.

"Yes, our Gran-Gran lives two cabins down." Sokka answered again. "But what's-"

"Go get her." The healer commanded Sokka.

"Yes, sir." Sokka answered again. "But what's-"

"Now." The healer commanded.

Sokka gave Zuko one more nervous look before nodding towards the healer and running out again.

When Sokka had gone, Zuko looked towards the healer once more, silently pleading for answers.

"What's wrong with our mother?" Zuko finished the question Sokka had been so desperately trying to ask.

The healer slowly lifted his weary eyes towards the heavens, before turning them back towards Zuko again.

"I'm sorry, boy." He began. "Your mother is gone."

* * *

A/N: I actually don't have much to say this time. Yeah…Zuko had a horrible day. No one knew he was a firebender besides Kya, not even Zuko himself. So, when she died…that secret kind of died with her.

**If anyone has any ideas for this story, I'd LOVE to hear them. I'm kind of working the plot out as I go along, so ya know...**

Thanks for reading!


	6. The Darkness

**A/N: Katara is 14.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Darkness**

* * *

"Again." Hama commanded. Katara shuddered as she heard that dreaded word once more. She hated doing this. She hated destroying things, and people, and places. But she had no choice, this was her purpose. This was her destiny.

She breathed in deeply, while narrowing her eyes on her next target. A few feet away, a bright yellow dragonfly fluttered about ignorantly, oblivious to the fact that it was about to die.

She continued watching it dance from flower to flower until she learned the rhythm of its wings. It was so innocent and harmless, everything that Katara was not. And with every fiber of her being she regretted what she was about to do next.

Slowly, she raised a small amount of water from her pouch, while forming four tiny, needle-like daggers, one for each of the insect's wings. Without a discernible hint of hesitation, she shot the daggers forward and winced as the dragonfly fell to the ground. Within moments, Hama was steadily approaching to determine if Katara had finally passed this test.

Katara averted her gaze as her instructor walked over, looking for too long at the old woman made her nervous. So instead, she trained her eyes on the field of flowers surrounding her, or at least what was left of it. In between the areas of lively, gorgeous red roses were patches of ugly, rotten flora. Katara couldn't stand to be near them for too long. The guilt was too much, the darkness overwhelming. Some days, she swore she could feel it in her soul, the death tugging at her own heart. She always fought to keep it a bay. But some days she felt like she deserved it for all the life she had taken, no matter how small and insignificant it appeared to be.

She had yet to kill a man. But from the way Hama had been eyeing her as of late or the unwanted thrill she got after a kill; she knew it would be soon and she would _enjoy_ it.

She was jarred from her thoughts as one of Hama's old weathered hands found its place upon her shoulder. Katara looked up to see a grin plastered on her face. In her instructor's hands were four dragonfly wings, each removed with a definite precision Katara had never been able to execute before. Her chest swelled with pride.

"Good job, my girl" Hama complimented.

Momentarily, Katara was shocked, unable to believe what came from her instructor's lips. Normally, she received nothing beyond a nod or gruff of approval. Hama must have been very impressed.

Katara didn't know what to say. So, she said nothing.

"Now" her instructor continued, "Go back to the inn and add these to my collection."

Katara scooped the wings into the palm of her hand and had begun walking back to the inn when, suddenly, she froze in her tracks. To her right laid the dying insect, writhing in the dirt. It was trying so hard to fly with wings that were not there because she _took_ them. Her heart swelled with guilt and something that felt like sympathy.

Before she could rip her eyes away from the dragonfly, Hama was upon her again. She hoped against hope that she had not sensed her weakness.

The old woman leveled her with a cold stare before speaking again. "Katara" she began, as she gestured towards the dying bug, "Do you want to die like this?"

Katara eyed the dragonfly, still attempting to fly in vain. It would die there, maybe after a few minutes of struggling, maybe after a few hours. But it would die nonetheless; all the while searching for something that she took.

Katara shook her head in resignation. "No."

Hama raised her boot, smashing the bug into the ground. "Then you will have to kill."

* * *

Katara loved her weekly visits to the palace. It was the only time she felt truly free of Hama's control. For one day, she didn't have to waterbend…or anything else. She was free, as long as she remained within the confines of the palace walls.

Typically, she spent most of her day with Fire Lady Ursa doing anything and everything they pleased. When she was younger, she used to spend a lot of her time with Princess Azula. But that was before she learned to bend lightning and began training to become one of Fire Lord Ozai's next generals.

But Katara didn't need Azula anyway. She had Fire Lady Ursa, who meant more to her than anyone in the entire word. When she was with her she didn't feel the darkness grasping at her heart, she didn't feel like Hama's prodigy, or a Fire Nation soldier. She felt like herself, she felt like Katara.

The royal carriage continued prattling down the road. Katara noticed houses and buildings becoming numerous and assumed they would be arriving at the capital soon. Through the window, she saw the sun beginning to creep over the horizon; strips of soft golden light began to spread across the sky.

Some of the villagers were commencing to leave their homes and roam about. As Katara looked on, she admired their connection to the sun, envied it even. The origin of their element appeared to be so noble and bright when compared to her own. On her trips to the palace she liked watching them wander, their skin so pale and ethereal in dawn's early light.

Katara looked down at her own brown skin and frowned. She and Hama were so different from them; they didn't belong here. So why did they fight for them? She had pondered this very question many a late night, but had never mustered up the courage to ask her instructor, her fellow watertribesman.

She looked across to see Hama nervously fiddling with her skirts. The old woman always got like this before her meetings with the Fire Lord. Katara had never actually seen him, but she assumed anyone frightening enough to make Hama nervous was someone she did not want to meet.

All of her unanswered questions rang in her head like a bell.

_If you fear him, why do you choose to serve him?_

_Why do we not fight with our people?_

_Why are we not with our people?_

She couldn't take it anymore. She would ask her questions and she would get answers. After all, she did deserve them, didn't she?

Katara cleared her throat. "Hama" she began, "Why do we fight for them? These aren't our people. Why aren't we with our people?"

The old woman snapped her head in Katara's direction. Rage and disbelief swirled in her eyes as she looked upon her.

"**OUR PEOPLE?**" She practically shouted.

Katara shrunk back in her seat wishing that she were invisible, willing herself to be. Asking questions had been a mistake, it always was.

"Where were _our people_ when you were taken?" Hama demanded. "Where were _our people_ when you were huddled in the jail cell of a ship? Where are they now Katara?"

Katara could only stare wordlessly back at her.

"No one came for you! You mean nothing to them! No one ever tried to save you so why should you save them?!"

Katara turned her eyes to the floor in shame. Hama was right, she always was.

The old woman's voice softened at Katara's response. "Don't you understand girl? _Those people_ are weak, starving vermin. The weak deserve to die and be wiped from the face of the Earth. But we Katara, we are strong. And we have a chance to fight on the winning side, the stronger side. Why not take it?"

Katara nodded. "I'm sorry Master Hama. That was a senseless question."

Hama shook her head. "It's alright, girl. Just don't let me hear you utter those words again."

"What words?" Katara queried.

"_Our people_" Hama spat. "That cattle-that filth, those weak-minded fools are not our people. We are something better, something they could never dream of understanding."

A sly grin came to the old woman's face as she leaned in closer to her pupil. "We are bloodbenders."

Before Katara could respond, the carriage jerked to a stop signaling their arrival at the gates of the palace. Hama sent Katara a knowing look, indicating that they would continue this conversation later.

Katara's mind was reeling as her escorts opened the carriage door. Blindly, she took their hands and stepped down from the platform. She couldn't focus on anything really; the world was one large swirl of colors and shadows.

Everything Hama said made sense, yet some part of her rebelled against it.

She remembered things from _before. _Large hands lifting her in the air, soft arms embracing her, firm fingers prodding her; but none of them felt weak. They each felt strong in their own way. But Hama was right, if those people-the owners of the hands, arms, and fingers-were so strong; the Fire Nation would not have been able to take her in the first place.

No, she reminded herself, she was _chosen_ not _taken_. She was _saved_ from the cold and the darkness and brought into the warmth and the light of the Sun.

The guards continued to lead Katara down a series of halls and corridors, all blurring together within the confines of her mind. She only began to take notice when she saw the two large golden pillars standing at the entrance of the garden where she always took her morning tea with Fire Lady Ursa.

A grin slowly eased its way across her face and she ran ahead of the guards.

"I know the way from here!" she called back to them.

As her feet plodded forward, she thought back to the anger and anxiety Hama exhibited in the carriage.

_Well, at least one of us will be having fun._

She rounded another corner to see-

Azula?

Katara's heart felt like it would stop at any moment. This didn't make any sense. She hadn't seen or heard from Azula in three years. And now, she was sitting at the tea table, in place of Fire Lady Ursa, with her hands folded neatly in her lap and a coy smile playing on her lips.

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"I suppose I'm not who you were expecting" Azula began, "But **please** sit."

Azula wasn't the type to ask for something more than once or say the word please for that matter, so Katara quickly obliged. Once seated, she narrowed her eyes at her old friend, weary of her intentions.

"The Fire Lady is in a meeting and requested that you be sent to her rooms. But I made sure that request never reached your guards. That's why you are here." Azula stated, her voice as icy and calculated as ever.

"Why?" Katara stammered.

"I wanted to speak with you."

Katara looked on, waiting for her to continue.

Sparks of electricity crackled at the tips of Azula's fingers. The flashes of light licked at the top of her hands waiting for her command. The entire time, Azula's gaze never left Katara who was mesmerized by her firebending.

"Beautiful" Katara murmured.

Azula closed her hand, forming a fist. "Beautiful wasn't exactly the word I was looking for. I think deadly or lethal would have been more appropriate. I could have stopped your heart just then, if I had wanted to."

Katara shook her head. "There are other ways to stop a heart, more painful ways to die."

"Like what?"

_Like someone reaching inside of you and preventing your heart from beating._

_Like feeling your heart burst within your chest and your body drowning in its own blood._

But Katara did not tell her these things. Instead, she settled with something Azula could understand.

"Like drowning" she smirked.

For the first time in their encounter, Azula really smiled. Not the coy one she usually wore, but a real one, the one that Katara hadn't seen for a very long time.

_Did this mean they would be friends again?_

"You see, this is why I've brought you here. You were the only friend I ever had that did not fear me."

"What about those girls Mai and Ty Lee I've seen you with?"

She scoffed. "They were never my friends. They only sought to use my position in court to advance their own. But you never wanted anything from me Katara."

"I know" Katara supplied.

Azula's confidence wavered. "I've discovered some disturbing information. And I've made a decision that I would like to include you in."

"What is it?" Katara asked.

Azula breathed. "I've decided to-"

"Katara?" Fire Lady Ursa called from the opening of the garden.

Katara whipped her head around to see her surrogate mother standing with open arms. Whatever thoughts she had of Azula's request were long forgotten as she ran towards the entrance of the garden.

Somehow, embracing the Fire Lady made everything wrong in her life better. She looked up to see the woman smiling too.

"Come Katara, there's something I want to show you."

"Ok" Katara began, "Just let me say goodbye to Azula."

She turned back to see an empty tea table that appeared as if no one had ever been there.

"Strange" she wondered aloud, "She was just there."

"I'm sure she only went off to train. You'll see her when we get back."

Katara nodded and followed behind the Fire Lady. But she couldn't shake her feelings of unease, something about Azula just didn't seem right.

Whatever it was, she would find out later.

* * *

Katara followed Fire Lady Ursa down a series of dark corridors, each taking them further beneath the earth. Katara's breathing hitched as the light of the tunnels began to dim. She was afraid, so very afraid. She didn't like the dark. But how ironic it was that the thing she feared most was the source of her strength.

Fire Lady Ursa took quick, determined steps; Katara struggled to keep up with her grueling pace. She wanted so badly to ask where they were going and for what purpose. But fear held her back, nothing good had ever come of her questions. So, she settled with silently shuffling behind her unusually silent mistress.

Within minutes, they reached a large opening of stone with two guards manning the entrance. They turned to Fire Lady Ursa and bowed their heads. She in turn nodded and strode through the opening with Katara close behind.

The air became stiffer and a pungent stench wafted throughout the atmosphere. Katara wanted to gag. She knew this scent, she knew it all too well. This was the smell of death.

Worriedly, she turned her gaze towards the Fire Lady who only pretended not to see her and continued moving forward. Momentarily, Katara stopped in her tracks. Her patroness had never behaved so coldly towards her before. Nothing was adding up. First, there was whatever was wrong with Azula and now this?

Katara released a deep sigh and strengthened her resolve. Whatever was going on, she would find out.

Fire Lady Ursa continued to descend further into the cavern. The sound of moaning echoed throughout the air. It was guttural, deep, and animalistic; but heart wrenching at the same time. Beyond the dim lanterns that lit the path, Katara could see the outline of prison bars. Hands groped through the bars attempting to reach her. But Katara wasn't afraid of people like them; those people should fear her.

She continued sauntering through the darkness. Until, Fire Lady Ursa reached a certain cell and paused. From under the sleeves of her gown, she pulled out a key. And began to unlock the door of the cell.

For a moment, Katara's heart skipped a beat. But that flicker of distrust faded almost as soon as it came. Though the Fire Lady had been acting differently in the tunnels, Katara knew she would never set out to hurt her.

The click of the lock signaled that the prison door had been opened. Hurriedly, the Fire Lady stepped inside and motioned for Katara to follow.

Katara drew in a ragged breath. She didn't know who or what was waiting on the other side of the cell door, but she would be ready. She didn't want to take a life, but she would if she had to.

What waited for Katara on the other side of the bars was not exactly what she expected. An old, white bearded man sat on the floor clutching a jade teacup. He appeared to be dazed and didn't notice their entrance. His eyes held a glazed over look as he rocked back and forth muttering.

Now, Katara was really confused. Was this a jail or an asylum?

Katara looked to the Fire Lady, who finally met her gaze.

"This was Iroh." Ursa gestured towards the decrepit old man.

"Was?" Katara asked.

"He was Fire Lord Ozai's older brother. He was actually next in line for the throne, before a series unfortunate _accidents_ occurred. He lost his son, his father, and my son" she paused, "All within the span of one month. They were all very dear to him."

Katara's mind couldn't comprehend what it was hearing. In all her years there, the Fire Lady had never mentioned her son. Katara knew that he existed, but that something horrible happened to him and he died. No one ever spoke of it. And this was the first time the Fire Lady had ever acknowledged that he was real.

Katara's stomach dropped. She had tried so hard all these years to be enough for her, to fill the void he left behind. But apparently it hadn't worked, she still remembered him. And the grief written all over her face was as fresh as ever. It pained Katara to see her like this.

"I said was" she continued, "Because this man is no longer Iroh. He is not the Iroh I knew. You see, he did not live his life for himself Katara; he lived it for others. So when they died, his spirit died with them. He is but a hollow shell of the great man I once knew."

"You're saying he lost his mind because the people he loved died?"

"Yes, he believed he had nothing else to live for. But I don't want this to happen to you, Katara. You can't live your life for me, or for Hama, or to fight the war. Those people and things will fade and die away. You must live for yourself. Promise me, Katara. Please promise me that you'll live for yourself."

Katara's hands trembled. "I promise. But why-why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because if anything were to happen to me, I need to know that you would live. That you would not become like my beloved friend Iroh."

Katara searched the Fire Lady's eyes, for something, anything to clue her in as to what was going on. But she gleaned nothing. "I will be strong. I will live for myself."

"Yes, Katara, strength is important during times like these. But never forget who you are, or this is what you will become."

Katara didn't know who she was, but she could pretend for Fire Lady Ursa. The older woman crossed the distance between them and embraced Katara in a loving hug. All the while, the old man continued his muttering. After a few moments, Katara realized he wasn't muttering at all. He was singing.

_Leaves from the vine,  
Falling so slow,  
Like fragile, tiny shells,  
Drifting in the foam,  
Little soldier boy,  
Come marching home,  
Brave soldier boy,  
Comes marching home._

Silently, Fire Lady Ursa cried on her shoulder. There was nothing else she could do, so Katara wept too.

* * *

As Katara prepared for bed that night, the old man-Iroh's song still haunted her. It repeated over and over again in her mind, she could not escape it. She wanted to help him, if only because he meant something to Fire Lady Ursa. She would find a way to help him; she had to.

She was unfurling her red satin pajama bottoms when a note fell out. Confused, Katara picked it up and opened it.

_Katara,_

_I don't have much time so I'm going to skip the dramatics and get to the point: I've left the palace. Nothing here is as it appears to be, and I'm quite tired of being a pawn in someone else's game. Don't trust anyone, if you do, it will cost you your life. But most of all, don't trust __**her**__. The ones who hold us closest, are often those who wish us the most harm._

_I'm not going to disclose my destination, but I hope we meet again. You are probably the only person who cares about my departure. And for that, I leave you this advice:_

_Burn this letter, or you will be implicated in my escape and found guilty for treason._

_-Azula_

Fury and sadness and rage and hurt, consumed Katara.

_How could Azula just run away?_

Fury and anger began to take control.

_Because Azula was weak._

But Katara was strong. She wouldn't run away from anything, she refused to be afraid. She refused to be _weak _like Azula.

Katara didn't trust her for one second. And if Azula was referring to any "her" in the letter, it was most likely herself.

In fury, Katara threw the letter into the crackling fire of her fireplace. She watched it burn until nothing remained, and with it she hoped to have burned every tie she had to Azula-every tie she had to weakness.

Hama told her to be strong. Fire Lady Ursa told her to be strong. So, she would.

The weak do not survive, the strong do.

And Katara would be strong, even if it meant embracing the darkness.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! It's been a really long time since my last update. I started college about a month ago, so life has been kind of hectic. I hope you all liked this chapter! As always, express any concerns, comments, or questions in a review; or you can just pm me. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but I can't make any promises at this point. Until next time!**

**POLL: I'm really torn as to how I want to characterize Zuko in this story. Which side of Zuko are you all leaning towards? Angsty Zuko, Awkward Zuko, Angry Zuko, Silent Zuko, etc. The list goes on and on. Any feedback would be really helpful. Thanks. :)**


	7. All I Ever Wanted

A/N: Zuko and Sokka are 19.

* * *

**Chapter Seven: All I Ever Wanted**

* * *

The frantic pounding of the drums echoed the frenzied beating of Zuko's own heart. Again, the sound of the conch shell echoed throughout the still night as yet another group sprinted out into the darkened tundra. With each group's departure, Zuko's anxiety grew stronger. Yet, there was a sense of excitement that came along with it. This would be the night of his first hunt, the night he would prove himself. The night he would become more than a man-the night he would become a warrior.

Centered around a great fire were Chief Hakoada and the village elders. One by one they called his brethren, each by the names they earned on the day they became men. In groups of three, they were blessed and marked before they ran off whooping and hollering into the night.

Zuko had been staring, intentionally, into the fire when his name was called.

"Zuko the Brave," Hakoada yelled out.

"Sokka the Wise," he continued.

Zuko's breath hitched as he waited to hear the third name. He and Sokka being paired together was a given. But he had no clue who the third member of their group would be.

"And Dahno the Resilient," Hakoada finished. "Step forward to receive your marks and our blessings."

Zuko's eyes grew wide. Out of everyone they could have been paired with, they had been paired with Dahno, the boy who had hated them ever since Zuko could remember?

Zuko shook his head and moved towards the fire. _Figures._ He didn't imagine Sokka was too happy about the arrangement either.

Sokka came up to his right side, and to his left stood Dahno. Hakoada smeared a single black line across each of their foreheads, before the village elders came forward to impart their blessings. There were three in all: the stern healer, the kinder fishermen, and his grandmother-Kanna. The two men took each of his hands in a firm grip and told him to return. Kanna kissed his cheeks, but before she stepped back she whispered, "Return to us."

From the tears threatening to leak from her eyes, Zuko could tell she was worried. There were very few who didn't return from the hunt. But it was always a possibility.

Zuko looked towards Chief Hakoada, his father, waiting for him to say something-anything. But he remained stoic, as he had to be. He couldn't treat Sokka or Zuko any differently than any of the other men risking their lives that night.

With a final nod, he stared each of them in the eyes and said, "Go."

The three of them spurted forward, shouting a warrior's cry as they ran away.

Dahno ran ahead, attempting to yell the loudest out of the three of them. Zuko strode closely behind, waiting for Sokka to catch up.

The wind was cold against his face, and the moon shone brightly, emitting an ethereal light. This scene would have been beautiful, peaceful even if it weren't for Dahno's incessant hollering. They were far from the light of the fire, so the yelling was unnecessary at this point. It would only attract unwanted attention.

_He could stop yelling now_, Zuko thought irritably.

Sokka finally caught up. "Have you ever imagined strapping him to the front of a boat and using him as whale bait?"

_Yes_, Zuko thought immediately. But the fact that he and Sokka had both had that thought was kind of freaky. So, he settled with, "That would be the day."

* * *

Later on, when asked how he knew, Zuko couldn't remember whether it was the way the ice crunched beneath his feet, or the angle at which the moonlight hit the ground, or some sort of primal instinct; but he knew something was wrong. Something alerted him to the fact that the ice was too thin.

"Stop," he commanded Sokka.

Sokka jerked to a stop as his side, alarmed by the tone of his voice.

"What is it?" He urged.

"The ice," Zuko responded. "The ice is too thin. We need to tell Dahno."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Really Zuko? Do you think _he_ would tell _us_?"

Ignoring Sokka's comment, Zuko shouted after him. "Dahno, you need to turn back! This ice isn't safe!"

"_The ice isn't safe._" Dahno mocked, chuckling. "What a bunch of pansies."

"No, seriously," Zuko shouted louder this time. "The ice isn't-"

Too late. Before Zuko could even finish his sentence, a harsh cracking noise echoed throughout the air. His breath hitched in his throat.

For the next few minutes, it was like the world slowed to a halt. Zuko could see everything; he could sense everything. He saw Dahno frozen in the middle of collapsing ice. He felt the panic emitting from him. And in that moment, Zuko knew exactly what he had to do.

Before Sokka could stop him, he lurched forward. Within seconds, he was upon Dahno, shoving him onto stable ice before he could take another fatal step.

But that was when _it_ happened. That was when Zuko fell in. It happened quickly, one moment he was above the water and the next he was beneath it. And the water devoured him. It filled his ears; it filled his lungs. It filled any opening it could find. And as cold as the water was, it burned him. And he was sinking, deeper and deeper beneath the sea. And he couldn't act because a single thought repeated over and over in his mind, paralyzing him.

_He would die saving Dahno's life. _

But as soon as he really understood that single unchanging fact, he fought. He kicked his legs and moved his arms, aiming for the surface. As ice continued to crash down around him, he moved up, towards the light of the moon.

When he broke the surface, he caught his breath in gasps as he coughed up the water from his lungs. He clung to the edge of the ice that remained, struggling to pull himself up. Little by little, he pulled his body onto the sturdier ice. It was thick and rigid, not exhibiting any signs that it too would break.

A wave of cold washed over him, as he shivered against the ground. His eyelids grew heavier with each waking breath. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and rest.

And close his eyes, he did.

* * *

His world became the domain of shadows and the shadows of shadows. They danced, they twisted, they swirled, and they called for him to join them. But he was too weak. He couldn't move.

These shadows-they swooped towards him. They taunted him. They jeered at him with their unseen mouths. They called him names he did not understand in languages he did not speak.

He wanted more than anything for them to leave him alone. So, he retreated further within himself, but somehow they found their way in there too.

He wanted to scream. But he couldn't because somehow he had lost his mouth. In fact, he had lost his body. Searching around with his invisible eyes, he noticed that he too was a shadow.

He retreated further from the other shadows, his brethren. But they gave chase, they chased him into the darkest corner of his mind. It was not until then they stopped, even they could not see in such all-encompassing darkness.

Zuko cowered in that corner, too afraid of his own shadows to move.

"What are you doing, boy?" A voice, deep and cool as water, called to him.

_What? _Zuko thought to himself.

"I said what are you doing?" The voice repeated again.

_You can hear my thoughts? _He asked, perplexed.

"Of course. Now what are you doing?"

_I'm dying. I fell through the ice and now I'm dying. _

"And just how do you know you're dying?"

_I just know. I think that's why I'm here and why those things keep chasing me. They're trying to steal what little life I have left. _

"Do you want to live boy?" The stern voice asked again.

_Of course I do._

"Then live. You need only tell yourself to live, and you will."

_But how? Telling myself to live won't remove the chill from my body. _

The voice laughed, a deep rumbling laugh that reminded Zuko of waves crashing against the shore. "Think of fire. Think of light. Think of warmth. And you will be warm."

Zuko did as he was asked. He thought of the huge fire he had seen that very night. He thought of the sparks that flew towards the heaven. He thought of the fireplace in his old home-the one that had not been lit since his mother died. He thought of her, he pictured her lighting it. He pictured her stirring a boiling pot of sea prunes. He pictured her smiling at him-smiling as she tended the fire.

And Zuko felt warm. He felt the warmth spread from his heart to the tips of his toes and the top of his head. It was vast and infinite. And his world began to light up. The shadows that had tormented him turned to dust and blew away in the presence of the light.

And Zuko could see. He stood on the bank of a snowy plain with the moon lying high in the sky. Snowflakes fell slowly all around him, adding to the thick blanket of white that covered the ground. But Zuko was not cold. In fact, he had never felt warmer in his entire life.

_Where am I?_

"You are in my realm." A slight breeze blew across the plain when the voice spoke.

_And how do I get home from wherever this is?_

Zuko waved his hand back and forth. It shimmered with a translucent quality. _And where is my body?_

"Don't despair. You'll be reunited with your body soon."

Zuko nodded._ Well, thank you for all of your help and for taking me here._

"It is I who should be thanking you. You have awakened me."

_What do you mean?_

"I've been lying dormant for many years. But your despair roused me from my slumber."

_How did my emotions wake you up? Can you feel them? _

"We are bound. There are forces at work far greater than you understand and you will need me in order to fulfill your destiny."

Zuko was about to ask what exactly the voice was talking about when he noticed his body flickering in and out. _What's happening? _

"You're waking up."

_No! I can't wake up now! I still don't know who you are or what this destiny you speak of is. _

"All will be answered in time Zuko."

_Wait! How do you know my name? I never told you that!_

His body began to flicker in and out rapidly. Something was tugging him from this world. He could hear a voice growing louder with each moment, demanding that he wake up.

"I will be with you Zuko. You need only call my name."

_Wait!_ His thoughts shouted. _What is your name!?_

"I am the Koja."

_Why do you have to leave?_

Zuko continued to ask many more questions; but in his heart, he felt knew the Koja had left him. The world around him began to shake and rattle, as the calls for him to wake grew louder.

"Wake up Zuko!"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

* * *

Zuko awoke with as gasp, as air filled his lungs and a deafening ringing filled his ears. He shot up like a torpedo, but was immediately smacked back down with a sack of seas prunes.

"Ouch!" He shouted. "What was that for?"

He looked up to the sight of an angry looking Gran-Gran. "You can't go around shooting up from the dead like that." She chided.

Sokka peered from over Gran-Gran's shoulder. "Yeah, you can't frighten old people like that. You could've scared her to death."

Gran-Gran promptly knocked Sokka with the sack too. "What was that for?" He whined.

"That was for calling me old."

"Whatever," Sokka muttered, as he launched towards Zuko for a full on hug. "I'm glad you're alive. You had us all worried for a second there."

"You know I'm made of tougher stuff than that," Zuko wheezed. "Although, you're on the verge of suffocating me."

"Oh yeah," Sokka said, as he pried himself away from Zuko. "Sometimes I forget how strong I am."

Zuko smiled. He really was alive. And as he looked back and forth between two of the three people who mattered most to him, there was only one question on his mind. "Where's Dad?"

Sokka plopped down in a rocking chair across from Zuko's pelts. He refused to meet Zuko's eyes. "He's in a meeting with the council."

"Oh," Zuko nodded. "I just thought that he would be here."

Sokka sighed. "He wanted to be. It's just that…well, it's just that-"

"Councilman Kurok has started a movement for you to remain here while the other warriors depart tomorrow." Gran-Gran interrupted.

"What?" Zuko shouted.

Sokka ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you were under that ice for awhile, and some people are saying that you'd have to be a firebender in order to survive for that long."

"What? How would they even know how long I was under there?"

Sokka stared at him as if the answer should be as clear as day.

"Dahno," Zuko seethed. "That little-"

"You will not use such language in front of your elders," Gran-Gran chided. "Even if I do agree."

That comment almost made Zuko smile, until he remembered what Dahno had done. "How could he? I saved his life!" He bellowed. "Ugh!" He shoved his face in his hands. "I should have just let him drown!"

"No," Gran-Gran patted his shoulder. "You did the right thing. You should never regret saving a life."

"It's not fair," Zuko said quietly now. "I'm not a firebender. You all know that."

"We do know," Sokka said. "And you and I both know what this is really about."

_Yeah_, Zuko thought to himself. After all, Councilman Kurok was Dahno's father and they both wanted nothing more than for Zuko to slip up. Every chief in the tribe's history has had a second in command. Uncle Bato was their father's second. It was known that Zuko would be Sokka's ever since they were little boys, despite Zuko's heritage. Dahno had coveted that position ever since they were old enough to understand it. Zuko supposed that was why Dahno had always hated him so much.

He looked up to Sokka with pleading eyes. "What am I going to do? What if they don't rule in my favor?"

"I doubt that Zuko. Dad won't let them."

"I need to go," Zuko rose from his pelts. "I have to speak for myself. They have to know the whole story."

"You need to rest Zuko." Gran-Gran said.

He waved her away. "I'm fine, I promise." And the crazy thing was that Zuko really was fine. He felt amazing actually. Falling under that ice definitely did more good than harm. Or maybe it was that spirit—The Koja it called itself. Zuko still hadn't made up his mind about telling anyone. He didn't need them thinking he was any worse off than they already thought he was. After all, it was probably only a dream.

Zuko marched towards the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Gran-Gran."

"I'm coming too." Sokka supplied.

The walk to the dome where the councilmen were meeting was long and silent. It was interrupted only by one of Sokka's timely questions."So what are you going to say?"

"I don't know. I was just going to tell the truth. I hope that's…" Zuko voice fell silent as he saw council members beginning to shuffle out of the dome. They passed Zuko and Sokka in stony silence; none of them would even look in their direction. At the end of the line were Dahno and his father. Councilman Kurok did not look their way, but Dahno did. He smirked. He actually looked Zuko in the eye and smiled.

Zuko ran the rest of the way to the dome. He didn't care enough to know if Sokka was behind him. The only people remaining in the dome were Uncle Bato and his father-the Chief.

"Dad?" Zuko questioned. "What's going on? What just happened?"

Chief Hakoada rose from his chair and looked Zuko in the eye. "The council has reached a verdict. I'm sorry Zuko, but they have voted for you to remain here tomorrow. There were those whom-"

But Zuko didn't wait for him to finish. He ran back out into the night. _This couldn't be true_, he thought to himself. He fought his entire life to belong in the tribe—to prove his worth. And because he lived through the ice sickness, they thought he was a firebender?

As he ran away, he could hear Sokka shouting at Chief Hakoada, which was something, Zuko suspected he would regret in the morning.

It was almost funny, Zuko thought. They didn't trust him because he lived. He let out a dry, hollow laugh. He supposed he should have expected it. He would lose everything for saving Dahno's life. There was no way the council would allow him to be second now. He'd have no way of proving himself on the battlefield. And on top of that, the tribe no longer trusted him. He was surprised that they hadn't arrested him already.

His life was falling to pieces all around him. Everything he had ever worked for was blown away with a single accusation. He would never be anything or anyone now. He'd known that he would never have a family. No father would ever trust him enough to wed their daughter. And he had accepted this. It didn't matter, not as long as he could be Sokka's second. He could devote himself to that, and to protecting the tribe. But now he had nothing.

He arrived back home sooner than he thought. Gran-Gran was already asleep. He threw himself upon his pelts with a thud and fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

When he awoke, the sky was still dark. But Zuko could tell it would be morning was coming. The war party would be leaving soon. When he looked towards the doorway, he realized he was not alone. Chief Hakoada emerged from the shadows bearing something in his hands.

"Dad," Zuko acknowledged.

Chief Hakoada nodded in return. "We won't be gone long. We'll be back within six months, and you will leave with us next time."

Zuko nodded. But he was angry; he was angry that his own father hadn't stood up for him.

"I have something for you." He patted the package he held in his hands. "Open it when you're ready."

Zuko nodded again, electing not to speak.

"Until we meet again." Chief Hakoada said, as he turned away.

"Wait," Zuko said. "Where's Sokka? He hasn't come to say goodbye."

"He's already on the ship. He didn't want to wake you."

_Wow_, Zuko thought. He could barely wrap his mind around it. The tribe abandoned him, then his father, and now Sokka? This day was just getting worse and worse. But he needed to know something. He needed to know if his suspicions were true. He'd seen the way his father had looked at him sometimes, like he was the enemy. He knew that Chief Hakoada loved him, but did he trust him?

"Dad, I need you to answer something before you go." He breathed. "Do you see them sometimes, the people who took your daughter, when you look at me?" The family rarely spoke of her. And Zuko wasn't exactly sure that he knew her name. But he thought it was Katara.

Hakoada didn't turn to face him, but Zuko could see his shoulders sag. "When I look at you, I see the boy my wife was willing to risk her life to save. But there are times…" He trailed off. "What matters is that when I look at you, I see Kya. That is the only thing I care about."

Zuko had his answer. "Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome…son." Chief Hakoada replied, as he strode away.

Now, Zuko was completely and irrevocably alone. Now, there was no one left in the tribe that gave a care about what happened to him, except for Gran-Gran. But he supposed one person was better than none. Although the idea of wallowing in self-pity all day seemed great, Zuko decided it wasn't worth it. He'd done enough of that when his mother died. Obviously, she saw something in him that was worth saving. And she didn't give up on him, so he wouldn't give up on himself.

He rose from his pelts. He would train until the warriors returned. He was already one of the best warriors in his class, but he would train until he was the best the tribe had ever seen. He would train until they wouldn't dare deny him a position in the war party.

He moved towards the package that Hakoada had brought him. Carefully, he unwrapped it and a note fell out. It read:

_The finest fire nation steel we ever did plunder. Work hard. _

Quickly, Zuko threw the note down and fully opened the package. A pair of brand new dual dao swords lay twined together with a piece of rope. Zuko wanted to shout-to tell everyone about the gift he received. He'd never used anything better than the old, dull swords they trained with. But these—these were now the most precious things he owned. He'd always wanted a pair. He wondered how his father knew.

Zuko decided not only would he train; he'd go out hunting, or fishing or whatever the tribe needed. He would pay his father back for this gift, even if he didn't want him to.

Today, he'd chosen to go out fishing. Within a few minutes, he was dressed and ready to go. He decided he'd go get a boat from the docks and take it out where most of the ice caps were. In those places, the fish were larger.

He was halfway to the docks when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. A voice that never seemed to quiet; a voice that was a constant source of terrible jokes.

"Sokka?" Zuko whipped his head around, and there he was—his brother. Zuko honestly thought he might have been hallucinating, but he rushed towards him anyways. He caught him in a hug, and absolutely refused to let go.

"Is this payback," Sokka wheezed. "Because now I get how you felt."

"I'm sorry," Zuko said, as he backed away. "But how are you here? I saw the ship on the horizon."

Sokka leveled him with a glare. "I was never going to leave. I know you'd never leave me behind, so why would I leave you? Besides, no one else on that ship really gets my sense of humor."

"Then, where were you all morning?"

"I got on the ship and pretended like I was leaving. Then I left at the last minute." He nudged Zuko. "You know I have a love for dramatic exits."

Zuko shook his head. "I still can't believe you did this. I can't believe you're here."

"Well, you better start believing it buddy, because I'm not going anywhere."

Zuko grinned. "Come on, let's go fishing."

* * *

It took only a few moments to hook up the rowboat and set sail. In a short time, they reached the ice caps where they sat in pleasant silence waiting to see who would catch the first fish.

"So, what did everyone do when you stormed out?" Zuko asked.

Sokka coughed. "Are you sure you want to hear about it? I mean, you're already angry enough as it is."

"I'm fine."

"Ok, well Dahno kind of told everyone that I wasn't fit to be Dad's successor." Sokka said a little too quickly.

"He what?" Zuko roared, as he rose to stand.

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. You kind of have a temper."

Zuko glared at him.

"What? You do. But I would have clocked him right then if it weren't for Dad giving me the evil eye."

"Well, what did you do?"

Sokka shrank back. "Well, I kind of just walked away because if I stayed a moment longer I wouldn't have been able to leave…"

Zuko's entire face had turned red. "Are you kidding me?! That little sniveling rodent! If anyone should have been left behind, it should have been him! He's the most incompetent warrior in the entire tribe!"

"Are you done?" Sokka said.

Zuko could feel the rage swirling around him. He could feel it pooling in the pit of his stomach. And he was getting hot, very hot. "No!" He shouted. "I'm not done! In fact-"

But Zuko didn't finish his sentence. He could feel heat pooling in his hands. There was something in him that he needed to get out, before it destroyed him.

"Sokka! Get down!" That was all he had time to say, before he pushed his hands forward and white flames shot from him into the nearest glacier. They contacted the glacier with a thundering crack, and ice began to tumble downward all around he and Sokka. Zuko got down, clutching the edge of the boat. He was too afraid to look at Sokka, because the tribe had been right. He really was a firebender. He was a monster.

When the ice ceased to fall down around them, Zuko finally mustered up the courage to look at his brother. But he didn't know what to say. Simultaneously, they rose to sit properly in the boat. Although, it still rocked back in forth from the after shock of all that ice falling.

"You!" Sokka pointed a finger in Zuko's direction. "I can't believe this. How could you? How did you? How long have you known? All this time! Have you been lying to everyone—to me?"

"No," Zuko replied quickly. "I found out just now, when you did. I can't believe it either. And I'm really hoping this is some sort of twisted nightmare."

"You know," Sokka paused. "I'm more enraged about the fact that Dahno was right about something than you actually being a firebender."

"You're not mad?" Zuko questioned.

"Surprisingly, I'm not. I guess you just owe me one." Sokka patted Zuko on the shoulder.

"Ok, I'm good with that."

"But I wouldn't tell anyone if I were you," Sokka said. "At least not until we figure out this whole weird fire magic thingy."

Zuko would have responded, if not for the blinding flash of blue light that erupted out of the glacier he'd just hit. When the light subsided, Sokka was glaring at him.

"Hey!" Zuko raised his hands in mock surrender. "It wasn't me that time."

"Then who was it?"

Zuko looked towards the glacier he'd effectively demolished. The ice was now thin enough for him to see through. And he could see a figure, lying sprawled across from some giant furry animal. Zuko's eyes grew wide. "Sokka, I think there's someone in there. We have to help."

"What?" Sokka looked in the direction Zuko was staring in. "Oh no," he whined. "You just looove taking me out of my comfort zone, don't you Zuko?"

"Come on, Sokka. Man up," Zuko said as he crawled onto what remained of the glacier. He crept silently towards the sleeping/dead/knocked out figure lying next to the beast.

"Ok," Sokka whispered, as he crept beside Zuko. "We need to be careful not to wake up the huge animal thing. I don't have my boomerang, and we both know how things turn out when I don't have my boomerang."

As Zuko crept closer, he noticed the guy was unlike anyone he'd ever seen. He was pale like Zuko, but he was bald. And had blue arrow tattoos running up and down his arms and over his head. He was clothed in orange and yellow attire. Whoever this guy was, he was far from home.

When Sokka and Zuko finally reached him, they did the only logical thing they could think of. They began poking him with their fishing rods. Soon after, he awoke to reveal clear, grey eyes. And it turned out he might have only been a little younger than Sokka and Zuko.

His gaze shifted back and forth between the two.

"Who are you?" Sokka demanded. "And how did you get in that ice?"

"M-My name is Aang." The guy stammered. "And I'm the Avatar."

* * *

**Three Days Later**

* * *

Zuko never expected to be flying high above the ocean, on the back of a 6-ton air bison with the last airbender in existence. Not to mention that airbender was the Avatar. But he never expected to be a firebender either. Although, he supposed that was just the way life went.

Zuko looked over at Sokka and was thankful that he had decided to come with him. "Do you think Mom would be proud of us?" He asked him.

"Heck yeah! Two strapping young men on a quest to save the world." He paused. "I mean, we're traveling with the Avatar. Imagine all the ladies and free food we'll get."

Zuko laughed. "Is that really what you're thinking of right now? Avatar perks probably aren't even real."

"Nope!" Aang shouted from the head of the bison. "They're definitely real."

Sokka's mouth started watering. "This is going to be epic!"

And for the first time in awhile, Zuko agreed. This future didn't look so bleak anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We're almost caught up with our timelines. I have one more chapter with Katara's POV, before we start the real show. ****I can't wait to hear your thoughts! And as always, thanks for reading!**

**Btw, Aang is 15.**

**POLL: Would you guys like a love triangle? Or are you all completely against that sort of thing?**

**Ok, just to clarify, the love triangle would just be Katara choosing between two guys. One would be Zuko and the other would be an OC named Kenji. **


	8. Sound and Fury

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took me this long to update. I had a horrible case of writer's block and just couldn't seem to get into the swing of things. This chapter was an absolute monster for me to write but it's finally done! Without further adieu, I present to you Twisted Chapter 8!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Sound and Fury**

* * *

**_KATARA_**

The further I go into the darkness, the more the light burns. The longer I live without the light, the more I love the dark. Perhaps, there was a time when I had a choice. Perhaps, there was a time when I didn't have to be a monster but I am one now.

The villagers spread stories of me in hushed tones. I'm the one they fear. I'm the story they use to frighten their children into obedience. I'm the _Painted Lady _whom drags their husbands and fathers out into the night, never to be seen again. I'm a legend.

But the thing about legends is they _aren't real_. I am. I _will _drag their wives, husbands, fathers and mothers into the darkness kicking and screaming. I _will_ return their bodies broken and battered or not at all. I am a nightmare turned flesh and bone. And they are right to fear me because I could destroy them all.

I can feel the trepidation rolling off the man I drag behind me. Even as he's unconscious, he is still afraid. He saw my face right before I knocked him out. He saw the paint and the hat and knew what they meant. He saw the fullness of the moon and knew why I had come. I wonder if he is dreaming of me. I wonder if this is why he trembles.

I reach the cave entrance, already weary from the task at hand, where Hama waits for me. I drop him on the ground, waiting for Hama to chain him to the wall. She's quick about it, which is quite unusual. Obviously, she wants to get this over with as much as I do.

I rise from my seat, concentrating all my attentions on the flow of his blood. With a flick of my wrist, all the blood rushes from his head into the rest of his body. Slowly, he opens his eyes, blinking up at me in confusion. I can see he's torn over whether this is a dream or reality; but he's in for a very rude awakening.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions and I want the truth," Hama pauses, gesturing towards me. "And she will know if you are lying." She leers at him and grins. "If you should choose not to respond," she chuckles as she lifts several ice daggers into the air. "I have ways of finding out."

Hama's eyes are wild and hardened tonight, in a way I've never seen them before. She seems volatile and all too eager to question him. But I can't concern myself with that right now; we have a job to do.

The man shakes as he looks between Hama and myself. His fear is thick in the air and coats him like sweat.

"I've never been one to beat around the bush," Hama says. "So, tell me. Are you or are you not conspiring against Fire Lord Ozai?"

The man's face scrunches up in anger. "No," he responds calmly. "And even if I were, I wouldn't owe an explanation to any waterbending scum like you." He spits at her feet.

Hama's eyes burn red as she raises her hands. But before she can do anything, I pipe up. "He's telling the truth." And he was. He may have been angry but his pulse remained steady.

Hama's hands continue to rise as she crouches into a bloodbending stance. I need to stop her before she does something drastic. His insult was not worth his life. "He's innocent!" I tell her again. But she pays no heed, and I know what's coming. I cringe as she makes his arms turn at unnatural angles and his bones snap completely. He howls and shouts, but he does not beg for his life because he knows it will not be given.

I notice Hama's brows furrowing together as large knots of blood begin to swell through the skin all over his body. She's blocking the blood flow throughout his entire body, I realize immediately. And I know his death will not be quick.

Even as he is weak and dying before us, I see something beyond the pain and the tears. I see hatred, a deeply rooted hatred that I most likely deserve. This man deserves to hate me, I think. If I were him, I'd hate me too.

Gritting my teeth, I give him the only kindness I can. I form an ice dagger with my right hand and plunge it through his heart. Immediately, his eyes roll back and his head lolls. Hama looks at me, her frustration stinging the air.

"He didn't deserve to die like that," I state. "He was innocent. We don't murder innocents. That's not honorable."

"Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?" Hama roars. "Did I not train you? Did I not make you the bender you are today? What right have you to question my judgment?"

"Wasn't it you who told me that this was just a job? Wasn't it you who told me not to mix my personal feelings with the job?" I demand, my own fury building. Hama is silent, so I continue. "Did you take the time to know the man you have just murdered? Did you even know his name?" I ask.

Hama scoffs. "You can't possibly expect me to know the name of every man I've killed."

"But I do," I respond, barely above a whisper. "I know them all."

His name was Katsu; he had four young daughters. There would be no one to look after them now, I supposed, since his wife was dead. But I don't think that would have affected Hama's actions, even if she did know.

"You really think that you know me, don't you Katara?" Hama seethes. "I have my reasons for doing what I do just like anyone else!"

"What reasons could possibly exist beyond your own selfishness and cruelty?" I demand.

She grabs my arm, digging her nails deep into my skin. "Enough! I won't take any more of this back talk from you! You disgrace me with your weakness and pity!"

"No!" I shout, as I tear her hand off me. Blood drips from where her nails punctured my skin. "Do not test me Hama!" I bark. "I'm not a little girl anymore. And if you put your hands on me again, I will end you." My eyes burn with fury, as the truth of my words rings true. I've had enough. And my power had grown far greater than Hama's some time ago. She would be unwise to challenge me.

"You are a disrespectful, insubordinate, and ungrateful girl!" Hama screeches.

"And you are an old woman and a fool!" I respond, as I walk towards the mouth of the cave. "You clean up your own mess. I'm done being your student and your slave."

"Wait!" Hama cries out, just as I reach the cave opening. I pause, not deigning her worth the respect to turn around. "You know, we're not so different, you and I."

I scoff, disbelieving. "I can hurt people too, Hama. I can be merciless. I can make the cruelest choice. The thing is, sometimes I don't, and you always do. That's the difference between us," I spit. "That's what makes you evil."

Maybe there was a time when I had wanted to be just like Hama. Maybe there was a time when I mistook her brutality for strength. Maybe there was a time when I would have rejoiced at the idea of being her mirror image, but not anymore. Now, I felt nothing beyond disgust at the thought of it.

"I may be evil," she whispers. "But I have loved before."

"What?" I whip my head around. I never thought Hama would utter the word love, let alone feel it for someone.

She leans her head against the cave wall. "When I was a young woman in the southern water tribe, I was foolish and naive. One day, when I was out on my own, I found a fire nation soldier dying in the snow. He had been badly injured during the last raid and unable to move. I decided to kill him myself the next day if the weather didn't. So, I moved on. When I returned, I was certain that he would be dead. But somehow, against all odds, he was still breathing. I thought it was a sign from the spirits that I should help him. So, in secret, I took care of him. I had planned to release him when he was well, but we had fallen in love," Hama groaned.

"I was foolish and understood the danger we were putting ourselves in, but I urged him to stay with me longer. Soon after, we were discovered. The tribe deemed me a traitor and sentenced us both to death," she pauses, breathing. "So, I betrayed the tribe. And we escaped to the Fire Nation."

"Where is this man now?" I ask, genuinely curious.

Her eyes take on a distant look. "Hopefully, somewhere far away from here."

"Then, what's the point?" I ask. "If he's not with you?"

"There is no point," she states blandly. "Love makes you vulnerable. Caring for anyone other than yourself makes you weak," Hama waves a dismissive hand. "Love isn't worth it, not when it can be so easily used against you."

I nod, beginning to move out of the cave again. I still can't believe half the things Hama has said to me tonight.

"Don't you want to hear the rest?" She calls after me.

"No," I answer plainly. "I don't particularly care. And as you've so frequently pointed out to me," I grind out. "You're not my grandmother. You don't have to sit around and tell me stories."

I continue walking forward, just trying to get away. I'm not sure what to believe about Hama anymore and that frightens me. In my mind, she had always been evil and cruel. In my mind, she had always been a monster. But maybe that wasn't true. Maybe she hadn't been born that way?

"Everyday is a fight!" I hear her shout after me. "Everyday we fight to live-fight to survive! You can't ever stop fighting!" She yells. "Because when you do, you die!"

I don't acknowledge what she's said as I move further into the night, but I will remember. I will remember because I think it's the truest thing I've ever heard.

* * *

Hama and I don't speak on the carriage ride to the capital the next day. But I shouldn't have expected otherwise, last night didn't change anything between us, not really.

The journey is a blur, unmemorable. And before I know it, we've arrived at the palace. I don't wait for the guards to open the door before I jump out of the carriage and head towards my usual destination. I smile to myself; it'll be nice to see Iroh today. I spend the time I have at the palace trying to heal him, a skill I learned after one of the many incidents I've had with Hama. I'm not very good at healing but I hope one of these days that something I do works. However, before I can get well on my way, a guard grabs me by my shoulders, stopping me in my tracks.

"You will be reporting to the Fire Lord today," he says. "Along with your instructor."

Hama seizes up behind me as she stomps toward the guard. "Why?" She demands. "What does the Fire Lord want with her?" To anyone else, Hama probably seems genuinely concerned for my well-being. But I know Hama. She doesn't care for anyone, least of all me.

"I don't question the Fire Lord," he responds. "My only job is to follow his orders, same as you." He shoves Hama forward with a grunt. "Now follow me."

I'm not sure whether to be scared or nervous. I've never met the Fire Lord, not in the three years I'd been working with Hama or anytime before that. She never spoke of him, so I never asked her anything about him. After our weekly visits, she merely handed me the list with the names of the men he wanted _interrogated_. That was the closest thing I had to interaction with the Fire Lord, a glimpse of his handwriting.

The moment we arrive at the doors leading into the throne room, I can feel the heat. Not the warm, inviting kind either. It's sweltering and dangerous. It feels like a fire barely contained, licking at the hinges of the doors, trying to get out.

I swallow, trying to push my fears more deeply inside. I can't afford show weakness, not now. The guards open the doors, their knees hitting the floor before I can even step inside. I see that Hama, too, is beginning to bow low. She signals for me to do the same. The marble floor is cold beneath my hands and the room is darker than I expected. From what I can see in my position, there is a large fire in front of the throne and several torches illuminating either side of the walls. I guess there is lots of light in the room, but it cannot seem to overcome the darkness.

"Rise," I hear a voice echo throughout the massive hall. It pulses with power and authority, sending chills throughout my entire body. Slowly, I rise to gaze upon one of the most handsome men I've ever seen walking towards us. His features are striking and perfect, almost too perfect. Perfect in a disturbing sort of way. His hair falls in long, dark tresses down his back. A hairstyle I suppose would look womanly on most men, but he exudes a sort of manliness and power that makes up for it. His face is all harsh angles and rigid lines. But I suppose his eyes are the most remarkable part of him. They're an unusually deep gold, even for someone born into the Fire Nation.

His eyes bear into me for a few seconds before he sweeps them over to Hama. Apparently, I don't appear to be much of a threat. Good, I think to myself, it's better that way.

He reaches Hama and considers her for a few moments before he speaks. "Tell me," he smiles, as he attempts to make his voice sound pleasant. "How was your week?"

I inwardly cringe, deciding that his smile is a thousand times more frightening than his scowl.

Hama fidgets with her hands. "I suppose," she stammers. "It was productive, my lord."

He nods, still regarding her. "Did you hear about the prisoner that attempted to escape the palace recently?"

"No, my lord." She blinks back surprise. "I was not aware."

I see his composure begin to falter as rage seeps from his eyes. He grabs Hama by her shoulders and shakes. "Don't lie to me!" He barks. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out? Did you really think your precious son could escape without my knowing?" I attempt not to gasp. I had no idea Hama had a son.

"First, your little Jeong Jeong attempts to desert my army," he continues. "And now this?"

Hama swallows, hard. And the Fire Lord continues speaking. "Did you really think that I would not catch him? Did you really think that I would not find out that you had aided him?"

"My lord!" Hama attempts to interject.

"Silence!" He commands. "But why? You had only one year left until you both were freed. Why did you betray me?" He questions. "Did you not trust me?"

Hama bows low, placing kisses at his feet. She attempts to plead with him. I turn away; her groveling is sickening. "I was worried for his safety, sire. I-I," she stutters. "I only wanted to protect my son. I feared for his life."

A grin spreads over his face, wide and open, showing his over-whitened teeth. In this moment his motives are laid bare to me; he is a mocker, one who enjoys whatever torment he can inflict upon others.

He raises her to face him by the chin. "Ah-Ah-Ah," he smirks as he wags a finger. "You know I'm a very forgiving man. Just tell me, how did he escape? No one escapes my prisons from the inside."

Hama stares at the ground. "If I tell you, will you let me live—let him live?"

"Hama," he smirks. "If you tell me the truth, I'll reunite you with your son immediately."

Hama breathes a sigh of relief. And in that moment, I realize she really is a fool. She is wrong to ever feel safe in this man's presence. "I was able to steal a key," she says. "I delivered it to him a few weeks ago."

"So," he begins. "You were his only ally?"

"Yes, my lord." She bows her head.

"Well," he says, his voice sounding pleasantly surprised. "Thank you Hama…for your honesty."

"Is that it, my lord?" She questions.

He chuckles, his smile curdling over like milk. "Of course not." Quick as a flash, he rips a knife from the belt of a nearby guard and plunges it through Hama's heart. I barely have time to react as some of her blood splatters on me. He pulls Hama into a lover's embrace. "Send your son my regards," he whispers.

As he rips the knife from Hama's heart, everything begins to move in slow motion. I can see the shock and pain registering across her face. I can see the fury she feels at her death-at her dying this way. But the last thing, the last emotion I see flicker across her face, as her body crumples to the ground, is pity. She looks at me with pity in her eyes and this confuses me more than anything. Why should the dead pity the living?

I wait for grief or sadness or anguish of some kind to flash across my mind. But I feel nothing. I stare at her lifeless, bleeding body and I feel nothing. I don't feel anything beyond the growing concern I have for my own safety.

I look away from her to see the Fire Lord staring at me, gauging my reaction to her death. I guess I don't appear to be that fazed by it, so he turns his gaze away.

"I do hope your training is complete," he says, as he wipes Hama's blood on the uniform of a nearby guard. "It doesn't look like you'll be receiving any further instruction." His statement is almost laughable, I think to myself. Hama hasn't had anything to teach me for some time.

'Guards!" He claps. "Remove her from here!" Two or three guards rush up to her body, dragging it away, leaving me completely alone with the Fire Lord save for one man.

He begins walking back to the throne, his feet clicking loudly against the stone floor. I watch him, waiting. When he reaches his seat, he casually looks up at the pool of Hama's blood still spreading across the floor. "I do hate to make a mess," he complains. "But it was necessary."

I nod, unsure as to what I should say, better yet as to what I'm allowed to say. He rubs a finger against his chin. "You don't appear to be that affected by your instructor's _untimely_ demise," he muses.

"No," I say, attempting to covey strength in my voice. "Hama and I were not particularly close."

He waves a hand dismissively. "But that's of no consequence. I did not call you here to bear witness to your instructor's execution."

No, I suppose not, the Fire Lord is a man whom likes to play games. There is a reason for everything he does.

"Then why have you called me here?" I ask.

"You have done well for me these past few years." He clicks his tongue. "And I have a task for you."

I continue to listen, waiting for his request.

"The Avatar has returned." He states simply. "And I want you to hunt him down and bring me his head."

"Why me?" I blurt out before I can catch myself.

His gaze turns predatory. "You have a very unique…skillset, one that I'm sure the Avatar has never seen before." He pauses. "In fact, why don't you give me a demonstration?"

"On what?" I demand.

"No," he leers. "On whom?" He nudges his head in the direction of the only guard remaining in the room.

"My powers may not be as strong while the Sun is out," I surmise, trying to get out of this demonstration.

"Indulge me." He says, almost gleefully.

I take a steadying breath and put forth all my focus on the flow of the guard's blood. I close my eyes, visualizing his body and the way his chi flows. When I have it, I need only decide which strings I'd like to pull. I decide to make him dance. There's no doubt in my mind that this will amuse the Fire Lord.

I begin to pull. The guard's eyes flare open in surprise, as he is dragged left and right, to and fro. His feet stomp without his permission and he finds himself clapping. He leaps through the air and then I release him, allowing him to collapse upon the ground.

"Marvelous!" He exclaims, as he applauds me. "Now kill him."

I inwardly gasp. It would be easy to kill the man before me but I don't want to. I run through every scenario. I could refuse to kill him and risk offending the Fire Lord or I could kill him and add another name to the list of men I've murdered. Finally, the solution comes to me. "I apologize. I don't posses the strength right now." I lie.

"Hmm," he says, as he looks at towards the guard. "You are dismissed." Slowly, the guard drags himself to the door, leaving me completely alone with the Fire Lord.

"Why is it?" he muses. "That you could bloodbend at all? Hama said that this power was restrained to full moons."

"For Hama, it was." I say.

"Why not for you?"

"Because I am stronger."

He laughs. "I think you'll manage this job just fine."

"But the thing is…sire," I add. "That was just a man. You ask me to kill the Avatar, a man with far greater power than any I've ever encountered. Besides," I say. "He is supposed to maintain the balance of the world, I'm not sure if killing him would be…right." I trail off.

"No," he interjects, angrily. "There is no right and wrong only what you can and can't do. Tell me now girl, can you or can you not kill the Avatar?"

"I can," I say. "But why should I risk my soul?" I'd killed many a man in my short life, but never someone so renowned for their goodness. Then again, if he was so good, why had he been gone for so long?

"Because I have something that you want," he says snidely. "In fact I have two things that you want."

"What?"

"In exchange for the Avatar, I will grant you your freedom."

"Is that all?" I ask. "Then what's to keep me from leaving and never coming back?"

He laughs, a cruel mocking laugh. "You and I both know you'll return, expecially if you'd ever like to see my brother again."

I suck in a breath. I had never been extremely covert with my visits, but I hadn't really expected the Fire Lord to care about what I did either.

"Oh yes," He smiles. "I've known for quite some time. If you return with the Avatar's dead body within a year's time, then I am prepared to free him to you. If not, I will kill him."

"Swear it." I demand.

"I swear it upon the lives of all my citizens."

'No," I say. "Swear it upon something that actually matters to you."

He chuckles. "You obviously don't get your wit from your instructor. All right, I swear it upon my crown. The question, my dear, is if you will accept my offer?"

Freedom. I had scarcely thought of that word. For so long, it appeared to be excruciatingly frightening and obscure. It seemed like little more than some poor man's deluded fantasy. But now it's real. It's something tangible.

I have the chance to be free. I have a chance to escape the darkness before it overtakes me completely. I'm sick of being the way I am. I want it, this life, to be over. I want to start again and the Fire Lord is giving me that chance. I'd be an idiot to refuse. I don't mind being cruel and ruthless one last time, if it means that I'll be free for the rest of my life.

I bow. "I will take your deal."

"Good!" he shouts. "There's just one more thing." He turns his head towards the darkest corner of the room. "Ursa!" He calls out. "You may reveal yourself now!'

Ursa? My mind goes into overdrive. I hadn't seen the Fire Lady in three years, ever since the day she'd taken me to meet Iroh. She'd just stopped coming to see me altogether. I thought she was dead. I had grieved for her. But now? My thoughts come to a jarring halt as I see a tall, slender figure slinking out of the shadows. I recognize her face as soon as I see it, but somehow this is not her face.

She's as pale as a glass of milk. Her eyes are two dark, swirling inky pools. Dark shadows swell from under her sunken eyes, cheekbones protrude from beneath those deep shadows. Her face is hard and gaunt. Her body moves slowly, slinking, almost as if she has no bones at all. The darkness surrounding her clings to her like a second skin as torches flicker in her wake. She turns those hardened, malicious eyes towards me and they are suddenly friendly. She places on a bright, false smile. "Hello Katara," she says as she walks towards me.

I swallow, attempting to contain my anger. Where was she these part three years? How could she greet me so casually? What had happened to her?

"Hello Fire Lady Ursa," I respond quietly.

"Do it!" Ozai commands. "Tell me if she's ready."

Do what? I think to myself. But before I can question anything, the Fire Lady is upon me, holding me in a firm, steady grip. I try to tear away, but she's too strong, much stronger than her body suggests.

"Look at me," she commands. And against my better judgment, I do. Her eyes bear into me, and I find myself unable to look away. "Follow me," she says, her voice a hiss. "I can teach you the joys of inflicting pain, a love of power, and the ability to remain indifferent as others suffer." My senses dull. I can't see anything else beyond her eyes, those two endless pools of darkness. They call to me. I want to answer. "You are meant to destroy others. I can put the knife in your hand and remove the conscience from your mind. Think of how strong you'll be with no voice telling you not to kill or harm," She purrs. "You can be a queen, mighty, crushing your enemies without a second thought." I begin to sway back and forth. "Follow me," she says. "Follow me." I see visions of myself, great and powerful. I decimate navies with the sweep of my hand and crush armies beneath my foot. The entire world bows before me, even Fire Lord Ozai.

But all of a sudden it's over, the images leave my mind as quickly as they had come. And I find myself staring into nothing. The Fire Lady has begun moving to Fire Lord Ozai's throne. She slinks towards him like a snake, plastering herself across his lap with a quiet thump. She leans in, her lips a hairsbreadth away from his ear, speaking too loudly to be whispering.

"She'll do just fine," Ursa says as she coils her fingers around Ozai's shoulders. "I see her heart." She pauses, running her finger across his chest. "I see the darkness lurking just beneath the surface, begging for the chance to be loosed."

"Good, Ursa." He smiles as he looks down upon her.

She-it frowns. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

"Then who are you?" I ask, finally able to form words.

"I am Ka," she hisses.

"Where is Fire Lady Ursa?" I demand.

"Your Fire Lady is gone." She snaps. "There is only me now. There is only Ka."

"What are you…Ka?" I ask skeptically.

"I am the darkness, Katara. You know me well." She smiles, her teeth like rows of daggers.

And as quickly as she had entered the room, the thing removes itself from the Fire Lord's body and sashays out, not sparing me a second glance. I stare after her, dumbfounded. Is there still a piece left of the real Ursa in there? Or is this uncaring, slithering thing all that was left of the woman I had known?

"I think it best," Ozai surmises. "That you leave now. Your two companions will be waiting for you outside."

"Companions?" I question. "I thought I was doing this alone."

"Well, you're not. Do your job and you won't have to worry about them." He pauses, rubbing his chin. "Now leave me."

As I exit the room, I try to pretend like what Ka showed me didn't matter. I tried to pretend like my freedom would be enough for me, that power did not matter. I tried to pretend that I was sad over Hama's death. But I know that I am lying to myself when it comes to both of these things.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

* * *

"Stop that," Mai says, as she swats Ty Lee's hand down. "We don't have time for this tonight."

"What?" Ty Lee asks innocently. "I was only waving."

Mai scoffs. "Yeah, right. Do you remember the last time you were only waving?"

Ty Lee pouts. "Come on, Mai," she whines. "You never let me any have any fun. And he's really cute."

"Grow up," Mai responds. "Life isn't all about fun and games."

Ty Lee rolls her eyes and groans. "You're such a stick in the mud."

"Well, you're a child." Mai replies curtly.

"Well, you're-"

The sound of Mai and Ty Lee's arguing is drowned out by the loudness of my own thoughts. The moment those two become more trouble than they're worth, I will leave them behind. I don't need dead weight, not when two weeks have passed and I'm no closer to finding the Avatar than the night I left the capital.

But tonight I have a lead to what I hope is the destination of the Avatar. I eye the corner of the restaurant where a doe-eyed, middle-aged man hums lazily to himself. As I entered earlier, I'd heard him speaking frantically to the owner about flying men and monstrous winged beasts. He said he'd tell the rest of his story for a couple of drinks. Of course the owner passed him off for a drunken fool, since most of them had not yet heard about the Avatar's return. But I knew better. Drunk or not, he had seen something. And I intend to find out what it was.

"Stay here," I command Mai and Ty Lee as I rise from the table.

I'll buy him a drink or two and see if that loosens his lips. If not, I muse to myself, there are other ways of finding out what he knows. After all, it is a full moon.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for making it to the end of this chapter! And I hope to hear from you since I literally spazz out over every review!**

**I changed up my writing style this chapter from the way the rest of Twisted is written. I used 1st person, present tense instead of 3rd person, past tense. How do you all feel about this writing style? Did you hate it or love it? Please let me know. I'm trying to decide which writing style I should continue in the future, or are you all ok with me swapping back and forth?**

**Oh and if anyone is weird about Jeong Jeong being Hama's son. Well, Hama is a good 20 years older than Jeong Jeong, so that seems plausible. I googled ages and Jeong Jeong is 61 while Hama is in her 80's. Hopefully, this twist wasn't too weird…**

**Answers to YOUR questions:**

**1\. Katara is 17. Sokka and Zuko are 19. Aang is 15.**

**2\. Aang, Zuko, and Sokka left the tribe to save the world. xD I know that's cheesy but Sokka and Zuko caught him up on everything. So, as of now, they're trying to help Aang master the elements. Also, there was nothing left for Sokka and Zuko back at the tribe, since the war party had already gone. And Zuko is looking for someone to teach him to control his firebending. Aang is his best bet.**

**Also, shout out to Djoker17, Lovesbugsalot, Florence23, CherishRedemption, hm813, Totally Spazz-tastic, EJean, Agni, The Congressman, Liooness, Shonashee, Swiftlet in the Cloud, and WrittenWithLove765 for reviewing the last chapter. You all gave me the motivation to get off my butt and write!**


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